December 19, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on May 18, 2014. Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“We are All House Builders”

Matt 7:24-27

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

We are all house builders. The only question is, on what foundation are we building our houses? Invited guests will usually comment and compliment on the décor, the architectural design, the furnishing, the landscaping, etc. of a home, but hardly anybody asks about the foundation of the house. Yet, ultimately, all houses will have to face storms.

God gave us his word so that in obeying His commands, our lives would flourish. Jesus taught people so that in putting His teachings into practice, we would weather through the storms, or, in some cases, simply avoid them. Yet, the foolish builder continues to make sand the choice foundation by disregarding Jesus’ teachings.

The inevitable question is, why? Why would you choose a foundation that is not secure and firm? Why would you gamble your house on something that can’t stand up to storms? Parents often find themselves stunned at their children, not because of brilliance, but because of foolishness. In futility, parents ask these questions: “Why did you throw the cell phone into the bathtub full of water?” “Why did you shove your little sister?” “Why would you play football inside the living room?” And almost always, the children respond with the famous lines, “I don’t know.”

If we were to ask the fool in Jesus’ parable, “Why did you build your house on sand?” what would he say? He might respond, “I don’t know. It just seemed okay with me at that time.” None of us would be so foolish to build our homes on sand as its foundation. Who would make architectural plans to build a house on a sandy foundation? No one, of course!

But think about this: No one would sit down and make deliberate plans on having an unfulfilling and meaningless existence, would they? No couple, when making a vow, aims at going through an ugly divorce someday, right? Nobody harbors a little grudge hoping to become a bitter and resentful person, do they? They all just seem to happen.

The fool who built his house on sand had no clue that he was building on false foundation. Theologian C. Neal Plantinga said, “Sin is both wrong and dumb. Indeed, wherever the follies are playing, sin is the main event.”

The apostle Paul wrote in Eph 5:15-17, ^“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

God may be asking for obedience in particular areas of our lives. He does so, knowing that a house is being built. And He only wants to ensure that our house is built on a firm foundation.

Prayer: Father, help me to build my life on the firm foundation of Your eternal word. Help me to be a wiser builder by obeying Your word. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 6-7

December 18, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Matt Ro who formerly pastored Journey Church in Atlanta, was originally posted on May 28, 2013. Matt is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BS) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A God Who Goes Before Us”

Psalm 68:1-3 (ESV): God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him! 2 As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God! 3 But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!

Psalm 68 is a song of military triumph. It is a song of God’s mighty acts on behalf of His people. Derek Kidner says, “The two main parts of the psalm celebrate, first, God’s victorious march from Egypt, with its culmination at Jerusalem (vv. 7-18), and secondly the power and majesty or His regime seen in the ascendancy of His people and the flow of worshippers and vassals to His footstool (vv. 19-31).”

The beginning verse (v. 1) echoes the cry of God’s people as they set out from Sinai in Numbers 10:35 (^“And whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you.’”) It was there that God showed His favor by descending upon the tabernacle and its ark visibly in the form of the massive Shekinah glory, or cloud. That cloud would rise up and move out ahead of the people when they were being instructed to march forward. It would settle down over the tabernacle when they were to stop and camp.

Literally, the psalmist is saying, “May God arise, my His enemies be scattered.” We have a God who goes before us. He gives comfort to the lonely, lifts up the downtrodden, and provides victory in the midst of our battles. The highest glory of God is that He cares for us and surrounds us with Himself. Today, find comfort in Him and call upon His presence to arise within our midst.

Prayer: Father, You give me strength and You provide for my every need. You are worthy of my praise. I ask that You would go before me, protect me and remind me of the victory that I have in You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 6:5-9 (ESV): Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Questions to Consider

What are some differences between working for men versus working only for God?
Our workplace ethic is praiseworthy when we appropriate the power of His Presence. Do we have a tendency to strive in life and work to please others but disregard Him? Take some time to examine your attitude towards work.
How would respond to this question: “Are you a people-pleaser?” If so, why?

Notes

We often see work as being under a person’s direction. Paul commands us to remember that work should be done unto God. Our daily tasks become work that God has given us and we do it for Him. This changes the focus of our motivation from a man-centered glory to a God-centered approach and glory. Work can often become dull and boring, but when we work unto God knowing that the eye of the Lord is upon us, our work becomes our worship to God.
Do we work hard only when others are watching? It is easy to surf the web at work or extend our lunch break when the boss is not around to observe. But what a difference it makes when, as Christians, we want to be faithful to the Lord. He is the most important “eye” that watches over us.
Do we want to be a people-pleaser? In the name of trying to move up the ladder, we can have a double heart, lacking undivided devotion to the Lord, which ultimately will lead to failure and emptiness. Paul says that we are to obey our earthly masters in singleness of heart, doing the will of God from the heart. What is the will of God? Our work. The work we do as well as the relationships with co-workers, is doing the will of God.

Evening Reflection

Prayer for this evening: Father, I live before You. There is no area of my life that is not subject to Your gaze and to Your judgment. Help me to correct what is wrong in my own work in the light of God’s word. Amen.

December 17, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S.F., was originally posted on September 11, 2014; it has been updated. Mark is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 (ESV)

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. 2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words. 4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.

In modern Christianity, the reverence for God has largely been forgotten; overshadowed almost completely by our belief that God is solely love. Due to this imbalance, we enter into worship very casually and we speak vows without meaning them.

In contrast, Solomon tells us to enter into the house of God with guarded steps and to heed every word that we utter. As we are reminded in the book of Hebrews, God is a consuming fire. Indeed, fire is an apt description of God: It is beautiful, yet deadly. It is fascinating to see the power of fire as it literally consumes without mercy everything it touches. It can be a destructive force but at the same time, it is beautiful and warm. The colors are magnificent and the flames keep you warm and comfortable. Fire is necessary to heat our houses, to cook our food, and bring light into the dark night. Who hasn’t been in awe of a blazing fire while camping? And so God can be likened with this scenario. He is beautiful and warm but still mysterious. He can make your life complete and worth living, but His power and might cannot be tamed.

Some would say the God of the Gospel is different, but there is something about Jesus that should be feared and should bring a measure of dread into the believer’s heart. In The Chronicles of Narnia, the Lion Aslan, who is the figure of Christ, is described as Good but not Safe.

In exactly the same way, the salvation that has been won for us through the gospel should invoke our appreciation for God’s goodness but also a healthy dose of fear and reverence. R.R Reno in his book Fear of the Lord gives us this to take away: “The created nature of the human person remains forever distinct from the divine nature of the Holy Trinity. This chasm is bridged by grace but never eliminated.” This analogy might help: When we walk across a bridge, we may enjoy with confidence that the engineers have done a good job, and the span will not collapse – and yet, who does not feel a hint of terror when looking over the edge and into the depths of the ocean below?

For a moment, imagine your life without the grace of God and falling into the deep waters of God’s judgment. The cross is the only secure pathway across this chasm, and Christ, who holds all the mysteries of the wisdom of God, is our only faithful guide. Seek him and follow him closely.

Prayer: Father, give us a deeper revelation of who You are, so that we would not be paralyzed by an unbiblical fear nor take Your grace for granted by living as we please. Help us to see that Jesus is both the Lion and the Lamb, our King as well as our perfect sacrifice. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 5:1-5 (ESV): But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Questions to Consider

Why were Ananias and his wife Sapphira judged in such a seemingly harsh manner?
What sin were they found guilty of?
How can you learn to live in holy fear and reverence of God?

Notes

Commentators suggest that Ananias and Sapphira were judged harshly because it was a case of God making an example of them, to ensure a healthy level of fear for the Holy Spirit. In the Bible, first sins in new situations are often judged quickly and severely. Some would say that Ananias was just in the wrong place and time.
Although this does not seem like a crime punishable by death, nevertheless, Ananias and Sapphira both conspired to lie to the church. This was a sin of pride and of self-righteousness. They wanted people to notice what they did. They thought they were lying only to people, but they were actually lying to the Holy Spirit.
Personal response

Evening Reflection

Are you grieving the Holy Spirit in any way? Is there unrepentant sin in your life? If so, take time to pray for the mercy of God to be renewed in your life.

Pray also for the Holy Spirit to give you the strength to live in greater holiness and obedience to God.

December 16, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Sam Lee who leads Catalyst Agape Church in Northern New Jersey, was first posted on July 24, 2014. He is a graduate of University of Wisconsin (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Dying to Ourselves in Marriage”

1 Peter 3:2-3, 7

Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives,2 when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. 7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

I believe the Lord instituted the family so that we can practically encounter the love and grace of God. But sadly, this is not what many are encountering in the family. Instead, some of the deepest hurts, dysfunction, and rejection come from the family. With the family undergoing such great spiritual attack, how are we to fight this spiritual battle?

It cannot be through the philosophy of “eye for an eye”; that is, if someone hurts you, you hurt them back. This belief system has caused wars, destructions, divisions, and continual bondages. On the other hand, today’s passage contains words like “submit,” “purity,” “reverence,” “be considerate,” “respect,” and treat “as heirs.”

So we can see that it is not about getting back at our spouse or teaching them a lesson. Neither is it about control, domination, and manipulation, nor about projecting the past issues on to your spouse. Instead, we need to move in the opposite spirit if we are to win this great spiritual war on the family; we need to fight to love and respect our spouse.

We need to die to ourselves and go the opposite direction, the direction of grace. Grace opens the door to the kingdom of God, bringing redemption and restoration. Grace stops the enemy’s stronghold. In this way, we can experience God’s original purpose for the family—encountering the love and grace of God.

Prayer: Father, manifest Your presence in my heart, so that You will be like a river in my marriage and family. Shower Your presence in all the dry places, bringing life in the areas where it used to be dead. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 5:22-28:Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Questions to Consider

Why would some people recoil at this passage?
Based just on this passage, what are the respective roles for man and woman? (Consider the marriage of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11).
In what ways is our marriage like the relationship of Jesus to the church?

Notes

Here, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is specifying divine roles in a marriage. But certainly, he is not saying that men are intrinsically better or greater than women.
After the husband and his wife have discussed an issue [e.g., look at the examples of Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:26) and Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10)], the role of the husband is to make the final decision. He, thereby, becomes responsible for that decision, no matter who influenced him. But does that mean that the wife blindly follows that decision? Well, the situation with Ananias (who had his wife Sapphira agreed to his lie) suggests, “No.” Sapphira should have opposed her husband for trying to lie to God over money (e.g., 1 Sam. 25:14-34). Apart from that type of black and white situations, a prudent wife would give her husband the benefit of the doubt. But with God, we never have to worry about having to agree to a bad decision, for He is always right.
We obey God and His perfect will while the Lord takes cares of our every need.

Evening Reflection

Before you go to sleep, pray for your parents, your marriage, and your children.

December 15, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, is an updated version of his blog first posted on September 16, 2014. 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

“What Legacy Would You Want to Leave Behind?“

Ecclesiastes 7:1-2

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

On my first day in seminary, my professor asked our class what legacy we would want to leave behind. But more specifically, she asked us what we would want to have written on our tombstone, and even had us write down an inscription describing our lives. She theorized that knowing what kind of legacy we wanted to leave behind would help us set the appropriate goals to achieve it. There must have been something to that question because after more than twelve years, I still remember that class (though I don’t remember what I wrote).

The Teacher tells us that “the day of death [is better] than the day of birth.” That’s a hard truth to swallow. As a culture, we celebrate birth and mourn death, and since we think happiness is better than sadness, emotionally, we reason that birth is better than death. We enjoy making a big deal about birthdays…until they start reminding us that our death date is coming closer.

At birth, we are a bundle of unrealized potential, and there is a beauty and hope to that potential. Likewise, each new calendar year brings the hope of potential; the potential for growth; the potential to be loved and to love; and the potential to materially impact another life. And over the course of this life, we have the opportunity to realize that potential. At death, we leave behind a life-time of love, relationships and human impact; in short, a legacy. Remember, a life well lived is more beautiful than a life still to be lived.

Prayer: Father, thank You that today holds the potential to love you and to love others. Help me to realize that potential today. I want to live my life well and leave behind a legacy of people I’ve loved and served. Thank You for your love and the way You have served me. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Deuteronomy 34:10-12: And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Questions to Consider

What legacy did Moses leave behind?
Why was it important that Moses knew God “face to face”?
How can we leave behind the legacy that God desires?

Notes

In this passage, he is described as a prophet above all other prophets, one who knew the Lord face-to-face. Moses did signs and wonders during his time in leading the Israelites. Beyond this passage, we know that Moses left behind a spiritual legacy (as the founder of Judaism) which continues to impact all the peoples of God.
“Face to face” describes the intimacy Moses enjoyed with God. Intimacy with God was crucial to Moses’ legacy. Through his relationship with the Lord, Moses was able to do all the things mentioned above. Ultimately, it was not Moses who did those things (Moses wasn’t the one to part the seas, or make water spring from the rock, or any of the other marvelous feats); it was God, working through Moses, doing those supernatural works. Through Moses’ intimacy and also his obedience, he was able to be used by God and, thus, leave behind a great legacy.
Like Moses, we need intimacy with God and a willingness to do as He says. To use the metaphor of clay, we need to be moldable (obedient) and remain in the hands of the Master (intimacy). As we remain in God’s hands with a willing heart, we will be able to do great things for God’s kingdom, and leave behind a legacy of faithfulness.

Evening Reflection

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What kind of legacy would you leave if you returned to the Lord right now? What needs to happen to make your desired legacy a reality?

December 14, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S.F., was originally posted on September 5, 2014; it has been updated. Mark is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Looking at Life from the Standpoint of Eternity”

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 (ESV)

So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. 14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

One of the frustrations in life is coming to the realization that no matter how carefully we plan for the future, there are always things that are out of our control: Illness, accidents, and other tragedies befall everyone independent of education, social status, or financial means.

The prudent individual realizes that statistically, at least, the chances of a better life come to those who follow the advice of Oprah and Dr. Phil. So we try to manage our money, make good use of our time, and try to maintain a positive attitude. However, in the end, the lives of both the wise and the foolish, rich and poor, strong and the weak are all equalized by the same unavoidable fate: namely death.

Alexander the Great learned this lesson in a dramatic way from the famous philosopher, Diogenes. One day, Alexander found his friend standing alone in a field, looking carefully through a pile of bones. When Alexander asked what he was doing, Diogenes replied: “I am searching for the bones of your father Philip, but I cannot seem to distinguish them from the bones of the slaves.”

When you look at life from this perspective, it is not hard to come to the same conclusion as Solomon: to hate the very idea of life itself. What is the point of accumulating knowledge, wealth, and fame if everything will be negated by death and all will be forgotten? The famous existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre expressed his despair by stating, “Life has no meaning the moment you lose the illusion of being eternal.”

For the Christian, eternity is neither an illusion nor just a future hope, but it is a daily reality to cling to. We know that if life is just what is under the sun, then it is something to hate. But if life is eternal and our good deeds remembered for all of time, it makes every decision and every act of kindness significant. The resurrection of Christ is our reminder that death is not the great equalizer but merely the door into true life. This makes our existence not something merely to be endured but to be cherished and used for its fullest potential.

Prayer: Lord, it is so easy to overlook how important the concept of eternity is for our emotional, psychological, and spiritual health. Help us to live everyday with an eternal perspective because if we don’t, we will despair of life itself. We pray that the resurrection of Christ would be the power behind our daily living. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Esther 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 18:13-21: Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

Questions to Consider

What is the danger of covetousness?
How should the man have responded to his land producing so plentifully?
Why is it foolish to live a hedonistic life?

Notes

The real danger of covetousness is that it is the same sin as idolatry. We covet the idols we have made in our lives, whether that be money, power, comfort, relationships, etc. In fact, the preliminary step in committing any sin is coveting something in your heart. For example, adultery is preceded by coveting another man’s wife; stealing begins with the coveting of another man’s property. This is why Jesus tells us to be on guard against all covetousness.
The man should have seen his riches as a blessing from God and used it to serve others. God calls us to be good stewards of our material riches and using it solely for our own pleasure is a poor investment in the Kingdom.
It is foolishness to live only for personal pleasure because you don’t know when your life will end, and God will call you to give an account. Everyone will ultimately be judged by their generosity towards God.

Evening Reflection

Take some time to think about the brevity of life. How will you invest your money, talents, and other resources in the window of time that you have been given? Pray that God would give you the wisdom to make the most of every opportunity.

December 13, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 11, 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

Proverbs 11:14

“For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.”

I thank God for the Biblical advisers in my life. It takes prayer and work to find them. And once I find them, I don’t let them go.

Who do you go for godly advice? Do you have a community that can speak biblical truth into your life? Try to write down the names of godly advisers in your life. If you cannot write down any names, you need to pray and go find them.

I believe one of the wisest things to do is develop a community of godly advisers. It will save you from a lot of headache. If you don’t have godly advisers you need to pray and ask God for them. If you do have godly advisers don’t let them go!!!

Prayer: Lord, make me teachable. Make me a humble man who will listen to godly advice and apply it. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Habakkuk 3

December 12, Saturday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, is an updated version of his blog first posted on April 14, 2013. 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

“Be Joyful Always” (1 Thess. 5:16)

Nehemiah 8:9-11

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” 11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”

When you think of spiritual disciplines, joy may not be one of the first disciplines to come to mind. Joy seems like something that happens to us, rather than something we do. And yet, the scriptures clearly command us to be joyful! Paul writes in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

As C.S. Lewis once put it, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” Why is joy so important? First, joy is important because it reflects the heart of our master (Matthew 25:23). God is the most joyful being in (and out of) this universe. God is a supremely joyful God! Second, true joy comes from the presence of God in our lives (Psalm 16:11). When our joy comes from God, we are no longer seeking satisfaction from the world, and like Paul, we will be able to say, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12).

How do we enter into this joy? We can train ourselves to becoming more joyful! The first step is to start today. As the psalmist declares, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24). Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Today. Celebrate every blessing you see from God. Ask God to help you to be unshakably joyful even in the midst of adversity. Take a page from Nehemiah and enjoy every meal you eat. And share the joy with those who haven’t prepared for it (Nehemiah 8:10). There is nothing like sharing joy to make it grow.

Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: rejoice!

Prayer: Father, please help us to have joy in You. Help us to live lives full of your joy so that we may be part of your dispelling of hopelessness in this world. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Habakkuk 1-2

December 11, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, was first posted on November 13, 2014. A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA), Yohan served as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for this Morning

“Value of Hard Work”

Proverbs 6:6-11

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7 Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.

Having recently moved to San Francisco, which is not too far from Silicon Valley, it seems like just about everyone I meet works in tech. Also, there are a significant number of young people who have won the dot.com lottery and hit it rich by being part of a company that went public. (I know none of these people.) So every once in a while, I will see a 20-something year old driving a Ferrari, which totally freaked me out the first time I saw it, and I indignantly commented, “I would never let my kid drive my Ferrari.” But I nearly broke my jaw on the ground when the person I was with informed me that that “kid” was likely the owner.

I wonder what the dot.com goldmine has done to shape our view of the work ethic. Do we value hard work and a steady income as our parent’s generation did? For example, let’s say that you were working at an Internet based company, and it never blew up to become the next Facebook, but it did provide you with a good income for your family and to give generously to the church and missions. Would that be okay for you or would you feel like you were wasting your time? For those not working in tech, but are highly educated and in relatively “professional” careers (which includes the majority of the AMI community), how do you view those who have “blue collar” jobs? Do you treat the check-out girl at your local Target with the same dignity and respect that you show your physician?

Today’s Proverb speaks about the value of hard work. When God created Adam and Eve, he gave them the job of working the garden; so work was God’s idea. The ant is praised for her daily diligence, and the sluggard chastised. Paul says in 1 Thess. 4:11-12: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” Does your work ethic win the respect of outsiders? Do you respect those who work hard in whatever job they have, because they, too, work for a living?

Prayer: Lord, please remind me continually to know that I work not for men, but for You (Col. 3:23). Help me to honor hard work as it builds character and trust. Also, help me to be content with my job, and to respect those who work hard, knowing that they are made in Your image, and they too are doing their best to provide for themselves and their families.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Corinthians 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Col. 3:22-25: Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, how can we worship God through our work?
What are some incentives for working hard?
How do you view your job and work? Would you say that you worship God through your work?

Notes

First, we work with integrity, even when no eyes are on us. Second, we work with a sincerity of heart, with the understanding that we are really working for God, not man.
First, we know that God sees our work and how we work. Second, we have faith that God rewards us if we are faithful in work (3:24).
Personal application question.

Evening Reflection

How was work today? Did you work hard and faithfully? Were you honest in your dealings? Did you represent Christ in your workplace? Did you thank the person at Starbucks who served you (or whoever served you lunch)?

December 10, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S.F., was originally posted on September 3, 2014; it has been updated. Mark is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Know Nothing Except This One Thing”

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 (ESV)

I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. 16 I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. 18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

It seems like every year there is a new set of self-help books on the New York Times Best Seller List. Each of them promises the secrets to a more fulfilling, more effective, and happier life; and Americans spend millions of dollars and hours trying to glean wisdom from the authors. However, the very fact that there is always a new book that offers the latest insights on life should tell us that none of these books give us the keys to life in its entirety. Yet, we continue to read and to search for that elusive piece of information that will help us figure out why life is the way it is.

The author of Ecclesiastes made it his main purpose to seek and search for every bit of worldly wisdom and knowledge that he could get his hands on. If he had lived in our day and age, he would have read “The Power of Habit,” “Blink,” “Good to Great,” as well as every other book that provides some measure of insight to our existence. But after years and years of accumulating all this wisdom under heaven, he realized that the pursuit was in vain, not because the information wasn’t true but because it really didn’t change anything. The reason why so many people continue to buy self-help books year in and year out is precisely because they realize things haven’t really changed.

The Preacher, near the end of his quest, comes to a sobering conclusion: What is bent cannot be straightened and life simply doesn’t add up. There will always be misunderstandings in relationships, conflict in churches, dissatisfaction with work, moral failings, and the list goes on and on. No amount of books you read can fix what has been bent out of shape and fill what seems to be lacking in our lives. Many great minds have come to the same conclusion. Before he passed away, the modernist poet, Ezra Pound said, “All my life I believed I knew something. But then one strange day came when I realized that I knew nothing; yes, I knew nothing. And so words became void of meaning.”

So what is the point of coming to such a depressing conclusion? Wouldn’t it be better to live in ignorant bliss rather than accumulate knowledge that increases sorrow? It is until you realize God’s plan for worldly wisdom. His purpose is to expose the futility of man’s wisdom (1 Cor. 1:19) so that we would learn to depend on the wisdom of God and turn to Him. In 1 Corinthians 1:24 we read that Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God, and it is only through an abiding relationship with Him where our crooked roads can be made straight and life can begin to add up. So, even if I know nothing except Jesus Christ, then, I would consider my life successful.

Prayer: Father, we acknowledge that Your ways are higher than our ways; Your thoughts higher than our thoughts. Yet we persist in trying to outsmart You and question Your divine purpose and plan for life. Help us to humble ourselves and lean not on our own understanding so that when there is reason to boast, we can boast in Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Corinthians 11

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-30: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Questions to Consider

Why is the gospel foolishness to the world?
Why does God choose people who are not wise by worldly standards or of noble birth for His purpose and plan?
How are you growing in the wisdom of God?

Notes

The world sees the gospel as foolish because it seems unsophisticated, too easy to understand, and something only the uneducated would believe in. The truth is of the matter is that no man in a million years could have come up with the story of God’s redemption. Because man’s sinful mind did not come up with it, the gospel appears foreign to the secular intellect. Only when human wisdom is destroyed will we truly consider Jesus Christ as the wisdom of God.
God chooses the foolish things of the world and the low and despised for two purposes: The first is to shame the wise and the strong so that they would reconsider the claims of the Gospel. The second is so that no man may boast in the presence of God, but rather give God the glory for all things.
Personal response

Evening Reflection

As you make decisions in your life, are you trusting in your own understanding or on the wisdom of God? Are you acknowledging His will and purpose for you? Pray that you would be sensitive enough to hear God’s voice and humble enough to follow the Spirit’s leading.