REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on September 23, 2018, is provided by Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a high school English teacher, has long attended Church of Southland in Anaheim.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“He Walks with Me”

John 20:15-16 (When I read John 20, I wonder what Mary Magdalene felt when, upon visiting Jesus’ tomb, found it to be empty.) 

“Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher, in Hebrew).    

One of the first classes I taught was an English immersion class. The school called it “Creative Dramatics.” This class consisted of students with minimal to no English proficiency. There was no set curriculum and the only core text recommended for the class came out of a conversational English workbook from the 1980’s. Students sat in scraggly rows, chanting basic conversational English phrases back and forth to each other. It was painfully loud, the lessons were dry, and the students sounded like sad, monotone robots chanting in unison, “Where-is the- library?” “Turn-left, walk down-the- hall, then- turn right.”  

A few weeks in, I had just enough. I scribbled the words of Emily Dickinson on a transparency sheet and slapped it on top of a dusty overhead projector. I recited to my students the poem, ‘“Hope” is the Thing with Feathers.”’ Their assignment: Translate the poem into their own native languages. Translations in Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and Indonesian began to emerge on pieces of paper. As the days went by, the class would nominate students, calling them out to the front by name to recite the poem in English from memory; for the brief minute they stood there reciting, their peers listened, hungrily. From a classroom of dry, reluctant readers, there was now the presence of thirty-six hungry poets who had breathed new life into Dickinson’s poem. Those words would not mean anything at all if the students could not connect to it, struggle through it, and celebrate it in their own encounters with it first. 

Up until the point Jesus appeared before the tomb, Mary Magdalene may have recognized Him only as a teacher. Jesus must have known this, so He says to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God’” (17). It is as though He was saying, “I’m fulfilling what I came to do. Did you forget I am your Savior? I’m always with you, Mary.” She had now encountered Jesus as risen LORD, living God, and her personal Savior. Her life changed completely. Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the LORD!” Then she gave them His message.

The hymnist, C. Austin Miles, who wrote the words to “I come to the garden alone,” celebrates his personal encounter with Jesus. He wrote:

I come to the garden alone,

While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear, 

The Son of God discloses

And He walks with me,

And He talks with me,

And He tells me I am His own

And the joy we share as we tarry there,

None other, has ever, known!

How beautiful, how life-changing, and how exciting is the life that encounters the living God, our loving Savior? His Word is not a lifeless and disconnected book. It is a living promise that beckons you to join Him in the struggle and in the joy of knowing Him personally. Perhaps You have found yourself in a season of spiritual dryness. Have prayers fallen from your lips? Sing to Him and hold onto His words. Let go of your fears and doubts and be reminded, He is always with You, He embraces you, and calls out to you. Maybe today, more than ever, you needed to hear Him call out your name and to walk with Him in the garden alone, to be told you are His. May the LORD bless you and give you the assurance that He is with you. 

Prayer: LORD, what an incredible encounter Mary had with You. I want to meet with You in a personal way and walk with You through this life. Your voice is what I want to hear, so open my ears so that I may hear. Thank You for Your assurance that You have never left me. I love You, God! You are so good to me. Soften my heart and help me to let go of my fears and doubts. Breathe life over me with Your words. What have I to fear when You’re right here with me, speaking to me? Thank you, LORD, for being my personal Savior, the living God, our risen King. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 40

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on August 11, 2018. Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Prophesy!”

Jeremiah 28:5-9

Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. 7 Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. 8 The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

Prophesying is a dangerous task. Throughout the Bible, and especially in the Old Testament, we read of people prophesying the word of God and paying dearly for it. Old Testament prophets like Jeremiah often were rejected by the people and faced constant threats and abuse. Proclaiming God’s truth is dangerous, because sometimes the truth is not easy to hear. And when people do not like the message of God, they turn their anger toward to one speaking His words. Prophesying truly is a dangerous task.

Yet, though dangerous, prophesying is a crucial task. Throughout history, God has chosen to speak through His chosen people. He didn’t need to use humans, obviously—God has used literal bushes to send his message through. Yet most of the time He has chosen to speak through people. And now, those who believe in Jesus and are filled with the Spirit are all called to prophesy. When the Spirit first fell on the early church, the Apostle Peter preached to Jerusalem by quoting Joel, “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17). Not many prophesied before Christ, but through the Spirit, all believers can serve as messengers of God. We are all called to this dangerous task. Though we should be careful about preaching painful messages like Jeremiah, we should be listening to the voice of God and be willing to boldly speak the words He gives us.

Unfortunately, in our passage, Hananiah was a false prophet. He avoided the danger of prophecy by prophesying a message of peace, a message that was not from God. But Jeremiah confronted him, by declaring that Hananiah was not sent by God. By sharing only what the people of Israel wanted to hear, Hananiah exposed himself as a fraud.

For us, let’s be a people who are bold to prophesy God’s truth. But how? It starts with God. We can only speak the words of God if we actually share a relationship with Him. We can’t expect to prophesy if we are not actually meeting with God and talking with Him regularly. Prophesy requires intimacy, and from a place of intimacy God speaks to us, that we may turn and proclaim His words. Hananiah likely did not have much of a relationship with God, which was why he spoke lies. But as we draw near to God, He will speak to us. So, let’s draw near to God, and let’s seek to be a people who share His words. Prophesy is dangerous, but it is crucial to the faith of God’s people, and it’s a task that builds Jesus’ church.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be bold enough to speak Your words. We do not want to listen to messages of only comfort and peace, but we want to be challenged; we want to grow. Help us to hear You speaking over us, and give us boldness to share what we hear from You. May You use us to build up your church through prophecy. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 38-39

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 10, 2010, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Jesus Our Light”

Exodus 25:31-40

“You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32 And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; 33 three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. 34 And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, 35 and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. 36 Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37 You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. 38 Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39 It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talentof pure gold. 40 And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

 When we read of the furnishings in the tabernacle of God, we may look at it as monotonous details that really do not pertain to us today.  What does an ark, bread, and a lampstand have anything to do with our daily walk with Christ today?  On the surface it may not mean much, but if we look back and see the bigger picture, we see what kind of God we worship.  

The lampstand was among the most ornate pieces created for use in the tabernacle.  Those familiar with modern Judaism would know that the lampstand looked basically like a seven-branched menorah, resembling a tree with the cups at the end of each branch designed to mimic the appearance of almond blossoms with sculpted calyxes (outermost parts of a flower) and flowers (25:31–36). Many scholars believe that God commanded the floral design in order to remind the Israelites of the Tree of Life from the Garden of Eden. This is certainly an appropriate conclusion as true life is found only in the Lord’s presence (Ps. 16:11), and this presence was made manifest in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–35). Almonds were also a symbol of hope and fruitfulness in the ancient Mediterranean world.  So when the priests saw the lampstand these ideas were brought to their minds. 

But what symbolic significance did the lampstand have for the people of God?  

• Jesus is true life, which He offers to all.  Whenever light is used in Scripture, it points to the idea of hope, life and joy.  In Christ, we no longer live in darkness but we now see with spiritual eyes, and now we can love and serve Him.  

• We are called to shine for Christ in the world.  The world should see the life Christ brings to believers, and they should want to experience this life for themselves.  

This should be our desire, that our light would never flicker or grow dim, but to keep shining brightly for Jesus.  

Prayer:  Lord, thank You that You are the light of the world and You brought life into this world so we could live.  May we as Your people continue to shine brightly into this dark and decaying world.  Amen! 

Bible Reading: Genesis 37

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Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Peter 3:8-10: But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Questions to Consider

• What do we learn about the timing of God?  What does this mean for you?
• What is our hope according to Peter?
• What do you feel you are called to do in light of these verses?

Notes

• God’s timing is not our timing and He is sovereign over time—we need to be reminded of that truth daily.  
• Our hope is that the Lord fulfills His promises.  He is faithful to His Word, and we are commanded to trust Him.
• The Lord is patient because He does not want anyone to perish.  It means we are called to be witnesses for Him and to share the Good News to all who hear.  

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Evening Reflection

Take some time and think about people in your life who do not know Christ.  Spend some time praying for their salvation, and that the Lord would also give you boldness to share the Good News to them.  

REPOST Todays’ AMI Quiet Time, originally posted on July 2, 2019, is provided by Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“It Rains on Everyone—No Exceptions”

Psalm 1:6, 2:7-8

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish . . .  7 I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:  He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”  8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

While serving as a youth group leader many years ago, I once asked my students to draw a picture of the parable of the wise and foolish builder in Matthew 7:24-27.  And I still recall what Fred drew: While the rain fell, the streams rose, and the wind blew and beat against the house built on sand, the sun was shining from above the house built on rock. Even though I was only a young man at the time, I knew enough to tell Fred that that’s not how life works; neither does faith. 

If you haven’t discovered it already from the laboratory of life, God never guaranteed a problem-free life.  Recall what David said: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadows of death . . .”  However, the LORD did promise to give us sufficient grace (2 Cor. 12:9) to overcome whatever trial and tribulation that may come our way.  It could be a problem quickly (or eventually) fixed (don’t we all wish that) or experiencing “the peace of God that transcends all understanding, . . . guard[ing] our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7)—even though our circumstances remain the same. Why would God do that for us?  It’s because we have been adopted as His sons and daughters through faith in Christ!  Therefore, He deeply cares for us.  For that, we are eternally thankful and grateful! 

Can you recall a time when you really felt God’s presence while going through a tough situation in life? What did you learn about Him at that time?  My 30s was very disappointing because much that I had planned and hoped for in ministry didn’t materialize. But, during my 40s, while serving as a missionary in Mexico where I had so much fun, I came to see that God prepared me through many disappointments in my 30s so that I could be part of a meaningful and fruitful ministry later; for that, I am so grateful the Lord.   

Are your present circumstances quite difficult to bear?  Take a moment to see with the “eyes of our heart” (Eph. 1:18) a God who cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7).

Prayer: Dear God, I praise and thank You in all circumstances, even those that are very difficult because You allow them so that I may not rely on myself but on You.  LORD, remind and motivate me to come to You daily for a moment prayer and reflection

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 36

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 17:11-19: On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers,[a] who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.  17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well

Questions to Consider

1. Who said this and to whom was this said?

2. Why was this said?

3. What is the subtext to the fact that only the Samaritan (i.e., an outsider) returned to thank Jesus(Mt. 20:16)?

Notes

1. Jesus said it to a leprous Samaritan who returned to thank the Lord for healing him.

2. Because nine other lepers, all Israelites, failed to express gratitude to Jesus for healing them.

3. The Israelites who were supposed to be closer to God had ungrateful (entitled) hearts toward Christ while a man whom the Jews saw as distant from God (being of a mixed race and religion) showed a sensitive heart. This shows that in the spiritual world, the last can be first (when the spirit of humility and gratefulness is embodied) while the first can be last 

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Evening Reflection

We began the day reflecting on God’s protective presence. Was today more difficult than other days?  What happened?  

And for Lunch Break Study, we dealt with the matter of gratitude.  Honestly assessing your life, do you find yourself thanking God more or complaining about your life?  What is keeping you from being grateful to Him?  What will help you to become more grateful?  How about recalling our miserable existence before coming to Christ; not measuring ourselves with others who appear to have more on the outside.  Anyway, as you start the new month, can you think of anything that you can be thankful for right now?

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 19 2019, is provided by Pastor David Son who pastors Thrive Church in Taipei.  Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“An Opportunity for Grace”

Exodus 21:15,17

“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.”

Back in August of 2018, when I first landed in Taiwan, one of the first things I noticed was a big sign in the airport that read, “Drug trafficking is punishable by death in the R.O.C. (Taiwan).” Of course, drug trafficking is prohibited in most countries; I already knew that. But I was surprised by the severity of the punishment. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, Taiwan is very serious about stopping drug trafficking.’

I was reminded of this while preparing today’s devotion because our passage today contains an even more shocking rule: whoever strikes… or even curses… his father or his mother shall be put to death! According to this passage, many of us (including myself), should be dead already. My immediate question was: Why does God institute such a harsh punishment? I can think of 2 main reasons:

• It shows just how serious God is about honoring parents. In our culture, it seems that with each successive generation, honoring our parents has become less and less of a priority. But it’s clear in Scripture that God values the honoring of parents. From the Ten Commandments, all the way to Paul’s exhortations, the Bible reinforces the importance of children honoring their parents.

But really? The death penalty? Was that really necessary? Yes! I believe that God demands this extreme punishment for a second reason… 

• It provides an opportunity for grace. Proverbs 19:18 reads, “Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.” I do not think that in giving this rule, it was God’s desire to see all rebellious children put to death. Instead, His desire was for children to understand the incredible importance of honoring parents. At the same time, the severity of this rule provided parents an opportunity to show grace towards their children, by withholding punishment and issuing discipline instead. 

I believe that this rule reflects the heart of our Heavenly Father. He demands perfect holiness from us (Lev 19:2), and anything short of holiness is punishable by death! This not only reveals the importance of holiness, but it also created an opportunity for God to display His grace toward us.  Consider how the spurned father treats his prodigal son: “Bring the best robe and put in on him” (Lk. 15:22). That’s grace—which was ultimately demonstrated on the cross.

Today let’s pray for a deeper reverence for God’s laws and His holiness. Only when we are serious about God’s holiness can we truly understand his grace.

Prayer: Father, may we not take your commands lightly. May we not treat our sins as if they were merely minor nuisances. Remind us of how serious holiness is to You. And as we are reminded, may we understand the depth of Your grace, and joyfully receive Your discipline. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 35

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Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 3:19-24: Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

• In this passage, what does Paul say is the function of the law?
• According to the passage, can the righteousness of God be attained through the law?
• How, then, does one receive the righteousness of God? Who can receive it?

Notes

• Paul mentions that the law holds the whole world accountable before God. In other words, the law brings us into the awareness of sin. According to Paul, this is one of the primary functions of the law.
• No. Paul says, “but now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law.” This means that our hope for righteousness doesn’t actually come through strict adherence to God’s laws. There is a different source for righteousness other than the law—the one that is given to us for free of charge when we believe in Christ 
• According to this passage, righteousness comes through “faith in Jesus Christ”. Everyone is in need of this righteousness because everyone has sinned. And anyone is eligible to be justified by grace as a gift. 

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Evening Reflection

Have you experienced the grace of God recently? I’m not talking about understanding His grace, but rather experiencing it. If your answer is “no”, perhaps it is because you have forgotten the holiness of God. This evening, spend some time meditating on the holiness of our God. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on June 4, 2019, was written by Pastor Phil Chen, who recently relocated to Houston, Texas, to plant a new AMI church. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Friend of God”

Exodus 33:9-11 (NASB)

Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses.10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

The gods of the Ancient Near East were unpredictable. The people would offer sacrifices to these deities to appease them or please them and invoke some type of blessing upon them. But these gods were mysterious in nature and the people often did not know their standing before these gods: Were the gods pleased with them or were they angry at them? They wouldn’t know what was asked of them, and these gods could seem very distant from them. Yet when we look at the God of the Israelites, we see how different the relationship between God and His people is compared with the gods of the Ancient Near East. God was not unpredictable. Each time Moses entered into the Tent of Meeting, God would be there to speak with Moses. God was not distant. He did not have to speak to Moses remotely or through another medium, but He would be there to speak to Moses face to face.

In verse 11, it says that the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. There was an intimacy that Moses experienced with the God of this universe. Often times, I think to myself how amazing it would have been to be in Moses’ shoes. He got to encounter the living God face to face. He got to see the glory of God. But the truth is, Moses would have been so jealous of the position that we are in—what he saw in part, we now see in fullness. He was only permitted to see part of the glory of God, whereas we have the fullness of the glory of God dwelling inside of us. I often forget that the Holy Spirit dwells within me. This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday – it’s a reminder that the Holy Spirit has come down upon His people to dwell in their midst. It’s a reminder that we are baptized by the Holy Spirit and the fullness of His glory.

Do you truly believe that this glory resides in you? My prayer is that you would not live another day believing the lie that God is far away, hard to predict, or hard to appease. Rather, believe that if you have confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, you have to right to become a child of God. And as a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. 

Prayer: Father, I often forget the glorious truth that Your glory and Your very Spirit resides within me. Help me never to forget that. Help me to live a life that reflects that reality – that I don’t have to go through intermediary means, but that I have direct access to You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for what Jesus did on that cross so that we would be able to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 34

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 1:29-34 (ESV): “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son[i] of God.”

Question to Consider

1. What does John the Baptist say about Jesus? 

2. What does Jesus being the baptizer of the Spirit mean for us? 

3. Have you asked for the baptism of the Holy Spirit? 

Notes

1. John the Baptist prophetically declares that Jesus would be the ultimate Passover lamb of God, who would come to take away the sins of the world, but he also goes on to declare that Jesus would be the baptizer of the Spirit. 

2. We often focus on the fact that Jesus is the Passover Lamb—and He definitely is that—but He is more than that. He is the one who has baptized us with the Holy Spirit so that we have the glorious presence of Holy Spirit in our lives. While the cross and the atonement of our sins is important, we also need to remember that Jesus came not just to die for the sins of the world, but to give us His very Spirit—something that has been restored to us since before the fall of man. 

3. In Acts 19, Paul asks some new converts whether they received the Holy Spirit when they believed, but they did not even know of this baptism.  We must know that when we come to know Jesus, we not only go through water baptism as an outward manifestation of an inward transformation, but we also must receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit – the one who will help us to walk out our faith with power and victory.

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Evening Reflection

Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something that every believer receives when they become part of the family of God (through confession and repentance). But the filling of the Holy Spirit, however, is something that we need to ask for – because we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can overcome and be victorious in our life. Tonight, ask that the Holy Spirit would fill you in every aspect of your life, so that you would be able to live this life in power and victory. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 2, 2019, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Wartime Approach to Life”

Exodus 17:8-16

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” 15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, 16 saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Check out the following core value of Bethlehem Baptist Church (John Piper’s church): 

BUILT ON A WARTIME APPROACH TO LIFE, EDUCATION, AND MINISTRY. As a nation during wartime focuses its collective resources on winning the war, so also we seek as individuals and an institution to focus our resources on the goal of achieving our shared mission. We believe that this involves pursuing strategic simplicity with regard to non-essentials in order that more resources may be channeled to the war effort. As an institution we will seek a wartime approach not only in the use of resources but also in pursuing strategies and processes that are effective in winning the war.

What really impresses me about this value is what it says about this church’s outlook – they realize that we are living in the middle of a war. This is impressive because America is not at war – compared to many countries around the world we enjoy relative peace and prosperity. In terms of our faith, yes, there is some persecution, but nothing worth comparing to what many of our brothers and sisters in the 10/40 window are suffering. The reality is that it’s easy for us to forget what reality is – that we’re in the middle of a war for our souls. As Paul wrote, “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” (Eph 6:12).

So how do we fight this battle? With the sword and with staff. In what we do and in how we pray. That’s what we learn from Moses and Joshua. The war with the Amalekites took place on two levels. First, Joshua had to line up toe to toe with the enemy and engage in mortal combat. They did that for the entirety of a day. Unbeknownst to Joshua, however, there was another battle taking place nearby on a hill, one without swords and armor, but the result of which would decide the entire fight. That battle was one Moses, Aaron and Hur fought in prayer. It was so important, in fact, that after the battle Moses made sure that Joshua heard about it, lest he thinks that he won the battle with the sword.

In Christian life, we do, but more importantly we depend. A spiritual battle cannot be fought with the flesh alone – we must fight fire with fire. This is why we can never underestimate the importance and centrality of prayer. Prayer displays faith and dependence on God, which brings glory to God. Perhaps Martin Luther addressed this duality best when he said, “Pray like it all depends on God, then when you are done, go work like it all depends on you.” Heeding his words, let us work hard, but pray harder.

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes to the spiritual reality around me. Increase the sense of urgency in my spirit. Awaken me to last days living. Grant me that I may not get caught up in civilian affairs, but rather that I may live as a soldier in the field. May I be like Uriah, who when summoned to Jerusalem by David during war, would not sleep in his home, but rather, slept in the doorway of his house because his heart was always with his brothers who were at war. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 33

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10: Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

Questions to Consider

• How would you describe Jabez’s background/past experiences?  What does this teach us about how our past should affect our future?
• What did Jabez ask of God?  Do you think this was easy for him?
• What kind of change or freedom do you need to ask of God and to believe in Him for?

Notes

• In spite of the fact that his identity was so caught up in his mother’s negative experience, he cried out to God that his life wouldn’t be bound or limited by the past.  No matter what you’ve experienced in the past, through Christ’s power you can have a different future.
• What Jabez asked for took faith.  Oftentimes, even though we may wish for freedom from the past, we fail to seek it aggressively because we just don’t believe it could ever happen.  We become prisoners of the past.  Jabez, however, in asking God took a step of faith.
• Be bold!  There is nothing in your life that God cannot change. 

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Evening Reflection

“Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.” – John Bunyan

Wrap up this day with a quiet time of meditation and prayer. 

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on August 12, 2018. Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Power of Words”

Jeremiah 28:12-17

Sometime after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke-bars from off the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go, tell Hananiah, ‘Thus says the Lord: You have broken wooden bars, but you have made in their place bars of iron. 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field.’” 15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the Lord.’” 17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

James 3:1: Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

There’s an old John Mayer song in which the chorus says, “My stupid mouth has gotten me in trouble.” When I was in high school, I used to think how true that was, because I would often regret something I had said frivolously. I wonder if Hananiah would have thought that to himself—“My stupid mouth has gotten me in trouble.” Unfortunately, because he spoke foolishly, and there were consequences—he died. 

In the book of James, the apostle warns about taking lightly the role of a teacher. Teachers have a platform to speak and their words have power. Hananiah, though not a teacher per se, was a prophet who spoke to people, and thus taught people. But his message was false and he was judged for that. James says that teachers will be judged with greater strictness, because their words have power to lift up others or tear them down. That is a scary warning.

Words have power and the extent to which we have a platform to speak to others, our words have greater power. This is why we all need to be careful with our words. James says that words have the power to bless and also the power to curse (see James 3:9). Each time we speak, we should ask ourselves, Will these words bless or curse those who are listening? Will they build up or tear down? Especially for those in some position of power—whether as a leader, a teacher, or even a parent—ask yourself this: How will my words be received by those under me? Will they instruct and edify, or will they confuse and bring fear?

Though James says that not everyone should be teachers, a teacher is a noble calling. Teachers are necessary to build up others, especially within the church. This is why we should pray for our leaders, pastors, and teachers. We need to pray for God to use the words of those God has called to continue to build up His church. May God use our words and the words of our leaders to bring glory to Jesus and to bring blessing to others! 

Prayer: Lord, may the words of our mouths be pleasing to You. So often we speak frivolously and flippantly without realizing how our words may affect others. May we be careful with our words, knowing that our words have the power to both bless and curse. May we see to use our words always to be a blessing to others, all for your glory. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 32

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on August 4, 2018. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Meek is Not Weak”

Jeremiah 26:14-15 

“As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right. ¹⁵ Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

In the last two years, I’ve experienced an above-average number of flight delays and cancellations for reasons ranging from airport fires and snowstorms to broken lavatory doors. By this point, I am accustomed, even expectant, of delays. Some might think I’ve become passive, but I personally hope God is purposely growing patience and meekness inside me. Everything is out of my hands: I can neither change the weather nor fix an airplane. My fate is dictated by an air traffic controller (and however God directs the weather or maintenance crew).

Here, Jeremiah faces a choice of submission and meekness of another kind (one far, far graver than my travel woes). He has faithfully delivered an unpopular message to God’s people, and the prophets and priests are clamoring for his death. Instead of defending himself or running away, he allows the crowd to decide what should take place.

Most of us chafe when we lose control over circumstances. We dread delays, inconveniences, and even the sense of helplessness that our best plans can be overridden. What was Jeremiah’s secret to allowing others to decide his fate? It must not have been easy, but he had learned to trust in God’s plan for his life. Though his life was in the hands of others, he knew that those “others” were ultimately in the hands of God. Because Jeremiah trusted God to work in the wisest and best of ways, he could let go.

Let’s think today about our level of meekness. How do we respond when it seems like someone else’s actions and decisions will determine something significant in our lives? Even in the face of danger or loss, are we submissive like Jeremiah, or do we mobilize ourselves to do as much as possible to ensure the favorable outcome we hope for? Are we able to let go, or do our fingers wrestle for control over the steering wheel of our circumstances? 

Meekness seems to be the antithesis of how we are taught to live and survive in this world—it would be a miraculous gift of character. So, let’s be encouraged—there is One whose meekness can be given to us. Jesus did not resist injustice, but He let Himself be led to slaughter by others; He trusted the loving, perfect plan of the Father as it was carried out. By the power of His Spirit that now dwells in us, we can gladly relinquish control over our own lives and allow His plans to unfold. Today, let’s put our lives and our trust in the hands of the Father who loves us best.

Prayer: Father, I confess that I often want to be in control of how my life goes, and meekness does not come naturally to me. Help me to relinquish my control and trust You fully. When circumstances are out of my grasp, teach me to depend on You and wait upon You to provide and deliver me. Give me a meekness that showcases how faithful and loving You are. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 30-31

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 12, 2019, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson serves as a missionary in East Asia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Fear the Lord”

Exodus 20:18-20

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid[d] and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

When I was younger, my mom disciplined my siblings and me whenever we misbehaved.  Like many Asian parents, the means of her discipline ranged from clothe hangers to rolling pins. I remember vividly our mom telling us to kneel on the kitchen floor to receive our punishment. Because we feared these punishments, my siblings and I eventually learned to obey. 

In this passage, as the Israelites were listening to the Lord giving them the Ten Commandments, they witnessed a trembling sight on the mountain. They heard thunder and the sound of trumpets; they saw flashes of lighting blazing across the mountain; in fact, there was smoke on the top of mountain.  Understandably, they became so fearful at this sight that they no longer wanted to directly hear the voice of the Lord. Rather, they wanted the Lord to speak only to Moses and then have Moses speak to them. However, in verse 20, Moses reassures them that their fear was positive and healthy because it will keep them from sinning. 

In our society, fear has become an entirely negative word. There are so many social media posts that encourage people to overcome their fear of failure. Even in our faith, we often quote verses such as 1 John 4:18 (“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear”) or Joshua 1:9  (“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”).  These verses are spoken over people to encourage them.  Certainly, it is important to be free from fear; nevertheless, Moses is reminding us that not all fear is unhealthy. In fact, Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” This fear was meant to keep the Israelites from walking away from their destiny to be God’s instrument to bless other nations. It is not simply about behaving correctly, but being concerned with what God desires rather than what we desire.

This morning, reflect on this question, “Do you fear the Lord?” Like the Israelites, God desires us to be a blessing to others. However, the first step of becoming that blessing is to fear the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You are a God who loves us. However, because of culture and preference, I have forgotten to fear You. Please instill this healthy fear, so that I can walk in wisdom and become a blessing to those around me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 29

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Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 5:1-11: Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 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. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Questions to Consider

• What sin did Ananias and Sapphira commit?
• What was the purpose of Peter asking Sapphira a second time concerning the property?
• What was the result of the death of Ananias and Sapphira?

Notes

• Ananias and Sapphira sold their land in order to give the proceeds to the church. However, after Satan entered their heart, they decided to withhold some of the money. They thought they could get recognition from the church for being generous while keeping some of the money for themselves. 

• Peter asked Sapphira a second time because the Lord had mercy upon Sapphira. He did not want Sapphira to suffer the same fate as her husband.
• When the church saw and heard what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, it instilled a great fear in the whole church. They knew that God desired holiness, and that their sin had consequences.

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Evening Reflection

As you reflect on this morning’s passage, what are some reasons why we have become desensitized to the fear of the Lord? How do you feel this has affected you or the church?