September 29, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on September 16, 2019, is provided by Tina Pham who, along with her family, is serving in E. Asia as a missionary. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Meeting Place with God”

Luke 1:11-15 (NIV)

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

Have you ever experienced God providing you an answer to your prayer, but the answer was a greater outcome than your expectation? Recently, I was given good news that my mom will be getting married to a kind, Christian brother. For a long time, she had been praying about pursuing a second marriage in a God-honoring way because she wanted God’s blessing. However, from several previous situations in which things did not work out, she had learned to become content in serving God as a single woman. But, this past year, God didn’t simply grant a good answer to her prayer, but a great answer, for the brother to whom she is engaged is not just a Christian, but someone who shares similar values and commitment towards serving and ministry.

In introducing this elderly couple to his audience, Luke particularly recorded that Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, though barren and childless, were “righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord” (Luke 1:6). This was to shed away any misconception that Elizabeth’s barrenness was a result of moral failure or spiritual uncleanliness, which was a social stigma at the time. Barrenness in those days also brought on the stress of economic well-being—who would take care of and provide for them in their old age? Verse 13 implies that Zechariah had prayed for Elizabeth to bear a child and now the Lord says, “Your prayer has been heard.” 

For this couple, barrenness was devastating to face, but their barrenness became a contact point and a meeting place between them and God. They poured out their pain and desires to God and in the waiting, they faithfully continued to serve God. God did not give them a “good enough” outcome—of course, having a child would’ve made it a happy ending—but gave them a great outcome, because their son would not only bring joy to them, but would also bring joy to Israel. He would play a very important role in Israel that would usher and prepare the way for Jesus Christ. 

What outcomes are you earnestly seeking from God: financial breakthrough, a job opportunity, healing in relationships? Let the lack you are facing become a contact point that brings you to meet with the Lord.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You that Your works exceedingly surpass my prayers and expectations. You are a God of great things, not just “good enough”. You teach me to hope and desire for Your great purposes to be accomplished through my life. I pray that You would keep me steady and faithful in the waiting. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 25

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 63:1-11: “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. 4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. 6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. 7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. 8 I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. 9 Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. 10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals. 11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.”

Questions to Consider

1. What condition or situation was David facing when he wrote this psalm?

2. What is unique about David’s song to God amid his dire situation?

3. How can this psalm be a prayer for you or someone in your life, given your or someone’s difficult situation?

Notes

1. Very likely, David was in the desert and wilderness, hiding from Saul who was pursuing to destroy him.

2. Amongst many praises to God, David declares that God’s love is better than life. David really needed physical safety for his life at this time, but he still declared that God’s love is better. In fact, God’s love is fully satisfying, like the richest of foods. He found comfort in God’s presence alone. 

3. Personal Response

Evening Reflection

What situation or moment in your life is prompting you to seek God earnestly? Take a moment to vocalize or write down the things for which you need God’s help. 

September 28, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on October 7, 2018, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

Jeremiah 42:19-20

The Lord has said to you, O remnant of Judah, “Do not go to Egypt.” Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day 20 that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, “Pray for us to the Lord our God, and whatever the Lord our God says, declare to us and we will do it.” 

In Monopoly, there is a card called “Get Out of Jail Free.”  If in the course of the game you find yourself in jail, all you have to do is to play this card and you are home free—meaning, you don’t have to worry about paying a fine or penalty. For many Christians in our day, this “Get Out of Jail Free” card has become metaphorical for anything that can get you out of trouble.

In the history of Christianity—and in my own ministry and even my own walk with Jesus—there has been an attitude towards the forgiveness of sins as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card:  Because Jesus died for our sins on the Cross, all of our sins are forgiven, and even if we sin again and again, our sins can be forgiven.  Even if we deliberately sin, those sins can be forgiven as well.  But as we can all imagine (or already see in our own lives), it’s easy to think about this forgiveness as an unlimited “Get Out of Jail Free” card. I’ve heard people say things like, “It’s okay, I can just ask Jesus for forgiveness later.” This forgiveness is an excuse for some to live a YOLO kind of life. Even in my own mind I’ve thought, “God already knows I’m a sinner, and Jesus will forgive me anyways.”

We tend to easily underestimate the effects of sin in our lives. We take sin lightly, like a red mark on a ledger or a bad thing that has to be made up. But what we don’t often consider is that sin has greater effects upon us than just a demerit.  In verse 20, God tells the Israelites, “…you have gone astray at the cost of your lives.”  The sin they were about to commit was to go to Egypt against the clear and expressed will of God—that is, choosing to not follow God’s will but to go in a wrong direction and going astray from where God wanted them to be.  And sadly, what they didn’t realize was that this would not just cost them some red marks on a ledger or a few demerits—but this sin would cost them their lives.  

Though we continue to struggle with sin and are still constantly in need of forgiveness, we shouldn’t treat the forgiveness of Jesus lightly, like a “Get Out of Jail Free” card.  Deliberately going astray from God, expecting to be forgiven afterwards, can have serious effects upon our lives that we don’t consider.  Jesus died on the Cross so that we could be forgiven of our sins and be brought into relationship with God, but this didn’t just wipe our ledgers clean—it changed the trajectory of our lives to be pointed to God and to the good and abundant life that He wants us to live.  Let’s remember this: going astray from God leads us towards slavery, but to receive His forgiveness is experiencing freedom so that we don’t have to go astray anymore.

On this Lord’s Day, as we remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the Cross, let us not think of it as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card; but instead, let us remember it as an invitation to the good life with God Himself.

Prayer: Jesus, I remember that it is for freedom that You have set me free.  I pray that today I will experience the freedom and goodness of being with You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Genesis 24

September 27, Saturday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on July 28, 2019, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“While There is Time”

Jeremiah 24:8–10 (ESV)

But thus says the LORD: “Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. [9] I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a taunt, and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them. [10] And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.

In our passage this morning, Jeremiah continues to explain the vision of the basket of figs: The good figs are the people who are sent into exile by Babylon.  The bad figs are the people who are allowed to remain in the Promised Land, albeit under the rule of the Babylonians.  While the exiles go through a harsher experience initially, they are actually the ones favored by God.  Those who remain in the land are tempted to believe that they are more righteous than those who are exiled, and that they can continue on in their way of life. 

From high school into the first couple years of college, I managed to get by without doing much work.  I slept through lectures, exchanged homework assignments with friends, and crammed before tests.  I thought this was a viable way of approaching life.  Thankfully, I received a wake-up call in my junior year.  With harder coursework, these study habits produced failing grades.  While I stubbornly clung to my failing system as long as I could, eventually, I made the necessary changes and finally learned to work hard.

In the moment, I certainly wished that my lackluster effort would be enough.  But what if I managed to get through college without ever learning to work hard?  Eventually, it would catch up to me and instead of failing classes, I would be getting fired from jobs and the consequences would become more and more serious with time.

The Israelites who remain in Jerusalem or flee to Egypt do not appreciate the seriousness of their situation.  They assume that the worst is over, and since they’ve survived thus far, they don’t need to make any major changes in their lives.  Rather than being thankful for undeservedly being able to stay in the Promised Land and accepting God’s judgment humbly, they cling to a false sense of assurance and harden their hearts to God and His prophet, Jeremiah.

Sadly, the greater judgment is still to come and the people are less and less likely to be ready for the Day of the Lord.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You often do not give me what I deserve.  May I not mistake grace for deserved favor.  May I not be foolish enough to linger in sin but repent and turn now while there is still time.  Thank You that You are faithful to forgive and bind up the brokenhearted. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 22-23

September 26, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 5, 2019, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California. Pastor Ulysses is a graduate of New York University (BA) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“‘No One Tells Me What to Do’—Oh, Be Quiet”

Exodus 18:24-27

So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.25 Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. 26 And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. 27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country.

At this point Moses had a decision to make: Listen to his father-in-law’s advice (not always easy, as many a married man will attest) or keep doing what he was doing. But why should he listen to Jethro? After all, Moses was the one who just led the Israelites out of slavery, defying and defeating the world’s greatest superpower at the time! And it was Moses who performed miracle after miracle, wonders the likes of which the world had never seen. It may have been very tempting for him to assume that he was the one God uses, therefore he needs to do everything.

Maybe it was Moses’ great humility that saved him at this point. After all, he was “more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). A younger, prouder man might have balked at advice from “mere mortals,” no less from one’s own father-in-law! Moses, however, was willing to receive such advice. Proverbs 12:15 says, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

How willing are you to listen to advice? Are there things going on in your life, whether difficult decisions or relationship issues or confusion about the future? Do you seek counsel from others? Or do you feel like you need to figure everything out on your own? Do you have a difficult time asking others for help or appearing “weak” by admitting you don’t know what to do? Let us consider the example of Moses, the man who the Scriptures declare “was faithful in all God’s house as a servant” (Hebrews 3:5), and learn from the wisdom of his humility.

Prayer: Lord, grant me a humble heart. Forgive me of my pride, self-reliance, and insecurity. Help me to be willing to be weak, vulnerable, or uncertain, and to be willing to reveal such things before others. Encourage me with the power of community and the wisdom of many counselors, that I may receive conviction to walk more and more with others by my side. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 21

Lunch Break Study

Read Joshua 7:1-6: But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.

Questions to Consider

  • How formidable was the city of Ai?
  • Why did the Israelites lose the battle?
  • What effect did Achan’s sin have on the rest of the people? What does this tell you about the nature and impact of sin?

Notes

  • Ai was puny, especially compared to Israel’s army.
  • The Israelites lost because Achan broke covenant with God. God had been fighting for Israel and now His favor was removed.
  • Even though Achan did not involve other Israelites in his sin, nevertheless the entire nation was affected. The effects of sin go beyond what the eye can see and can affect the entire community.

Evening Reflection

What’s something in your life that you know isn’t right and need to begin taking more seriously? What’s one step, no matter how small, that you can take to begin addressing it?

September 25, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on July 18, 2018, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Lateral Moves”

Jeremiah 41:11-18

But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, 12 they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13 And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced. 14 So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. 16 Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they went and stayed at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt 18 because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

Career-wise, is a lateral move a bad thing?  I’ve had many friends telling me they wouldn’t consider changing companies unless they got increase in salary, position, or both.  The logic behind this line of thinking is that since you have a certain amount of years vested in your current job, you’ve accrued more benefits like seniority, vacation time, 401k matching, etc.  And of course, in your current company, you have a known commodity.  You know what your life is like within your current workplace; you know your company’s culture, your boss, co-workers, best places to eat within a five-mile radius; maybe you’ve even found the deserted office to sneak in an afternoon nap.  Changing jobs presents a bunch of unknowns doesn’t it?  From commute to office culture, there’s a lot that can surprise you that you couldn’t really pick up during the interview process, and if you’re not being compensated for it, a lateral move could easily turn into a net negative.  I find that most people would only consider a lateral move if their current jobs were what they consider “toxic” (horrible bosses, terrible coworkers, unreasonable hours, etc.) 

Perhaps I’m exaggerating when I call the leadership from Ishmael to Johanan a lateral move.  Johanan never executed a coup like Ishmael did; in fact, his defeat of Ishmael was definitely a correction of a wrong, but make no mistake about it, this was no return to the glory days of Israel’s past.  We also see that Johanan still planned to leave the promised land, but instead of going to Ammonite country, he planned on fleeing to Egypt; as we’ll see in the next chapter, the Lord was not pleased with this plan either.  

Here’s my point, change simply for the sake of change isn’t always the best move.  This is why spiritual gift of discernment is so valuable.  In one sense, we don’t want to be people who are so resistant to change that we miss what God is asking us to do.  In another sense, we don’t want to be so impetuous that we bounce from one situation to another, and never develop the fruit of perseverance.  We need discernment to tell if God is leading us to stay where we’re at or go on a new path.  

What are the circumstances you are struggling with now?  Do you feel like the Lord wants you to remain?  Does the other alternate route feel like a lateral move?  Ask the Lord for guidance; generally speaking, I don’t think he’s asking you trade a bad situation for one that is slightly less bad.  

Prayer: Lord, I’m struggling with __________.  I don’t want to change simply for the sake of change, but I also don’t want to remain the same because it represents a known.  Please give me discernment to follow your promptings.  

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 20

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 12:1-2: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world,  but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Questions to Consider

1.  What are the prerequisites of discerning God’s will?

2.  What are the benefits of discerning God’s will?

3.  What are you struggling with concerning God’s will?

Notes

1.  In verse 2, Paul tells us that we should not be conformed to the world, meaning, among other things, we shouldn’t have the same value set and worldview of the world.  Perhaps our pursuits and goals are just like everyone else’s; if this is the case, that’s a problem.  On top of that we need to have a renewed mind, which among other things, means we need to have the same value set and worldview that God has. 

2.  God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect.  This is something that most Christians do not fully embrace.  Do we genuinely believe that God is good and he wants what is good for us, or in our hearts, do we think that we know what will make us happy, even more than God does?  Until we can believe His will is good, acceptable, and perfect will, we’ll never desire it.  

3.  Personal response

Evening Reflection

Today’s theme has been about choices we make.  Is there something that is in front of you that requires a major decision?  Where do you feel he is prompting?  Do you believe He genuinely wants good for you?  Take some time tonight to ask the Lord for the gift of discernment.  

September 24,Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on March 27, 2019, is provided by Pastor Matt Ro. Matt is currently pastoring a church in the state of New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Am I God-Centered or Self-Centered?” 

Exodus 15:1-18 (ESV)

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider[a] he has thrown into the sea. 2 The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. 4 “Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. 5 The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. 7 In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. 8 At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. 9 The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ 10 You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. 11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? 12 You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. 13 “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. 14 The peoples have heard; they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. 15 Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. 16 Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O Lord, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased. 17 You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. 18 The Lord will reign forever and ever.”

Our self-worth/value is greatly affected by whether we are anchored to a God-centered or self-centered viewpoint.  We know that self-centeredness, which originates from our fallen nature, focuses everything on the self, thereby causing our self-worth to become diminished or bloated based on our performance.  No doubt that we live in a culture where an individual’s value comes from an external and superficial perspective, rather than from something greater than the self.  

Often, we are swayed by other people’s opinions, or comparison to others, which, then, leads us to doubt or question our intrinsic value as God’s child.  So we say to ourselves: “My friend landed a better job and makes more money than me.  What I’m doing is nothing in comparison”;“My friend is skinny and really pretty.  She’ll have no problem getting matched, but what about me?”; “my friends do and say things I don’t agree with.  I feel they won’t like me if I disagree with them.  I want to be accepted, that’s why I support them, but what if standing up for what I believe in means I’ll lose them as friends?”Given this situation we all face (some more than others), to develop and strengthen our original God-given value, we need to intentionally make the effort to change our perspective, that is to say, it won’t change unless we make that effort.  

Notice in this passage that this great song of Moses is completely God-centered, glorifying God from beginning to end.  We may think that it took a great leader’s courage to lead approximately two million people out of the land of slavery and into the wilderness.  Yet, there isn’t a word about Moses the entire song.  The name of God is mentioned twenty-seven times (by my count!), including pronouns referring to God.  The song even moves from a celebration of God’s past deliverances to the future victories yet to come.  This is the God-centered faith that we are called to live in!

When the people stood at the edge of the Red Sea and Moses told them to go forward, they obeyed by faith.  Moses said, “Stand firm and you will see the Lord’s deliverance,” and that is the challenge to faith today.  F.B. Meyer puts it very well: Learn what God will do for his own.  Dread not any result of implicit obedience to his command; fear not the angry waters which, in their proud insolence, forbid your progress; fear not the turbulent crowds of men who are perpetually compared to waters lifting up their voice and roaring with their waves.  Fear none of these things.  Above the voices of many waters, the might breakers of the sea, the Lord sits as king upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth as king forever…Dare to trust Him.  

In light of this passage, make sure to:

  • Ask the Lord to show you how He sees you and what kind of value He has assigned to you.  Can you think of an example where you connected to your unique value as God’s son/daughter?
  • Surrender areas of your life where you have allowed society’s perspective to affect how you feel about the values and beliefs you cherish because they are rooted in God’s truth.

Prayer:  Lord, I always want to trust in You.  Thank You for Your past deliverances as well as the ones that are yet to come.  Help me to see things as You do.  If more of You is less of me, then take everything from me!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Questions to consider

  • Psalm 1 is a contrast between two ways in life: the self-directed vs. the God-directed life.  What are the benefits of the one who strives to make the Word of God (God-centeredness) the focus, rather than external accomplishments and opinions?
  • It bears repeating what was asked in the morning devotion: Ask the Lord to show you how He sees you and what kind of value He has assigned to you.  Can you think of an example where you connected to your unique value as God’s son/daughter?

Notes

  • The imagery in Psalm 1:3, paints a picture of several results in a God-centered life:
  • Stability (“he is planted”)
  • Vitality (“by streams of water”)
  • Productivity (“yields its fruit”)
  • Durability (“does not wither”)
  • Prosperity (“in all that he does, he prospers”)

2. Personal response

Evening Reflection

I invite you to think of a situation where you feel conflicted about seeing this situation from God’s viewpoint or a self-centered viewpoint.  Make a commitment to ask a close friend what he or she thinks is God’s perspective on this situation; also ask how he or she feels about the perspective you’re taking.  How would that impact your proactive approach to the situation?

September 23, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on March 12, 2019, is written by Tina Pham who, along with her family, is serving in E. Asia as a missionary. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Called by Love”

Exodus 11:6-7 

There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. But against any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ 

Deut. 7:7-8 

The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

One of the privileges I have in ministry is walking alongside young adults as they figure out the big topic named CALLING. It’s an issue many gravitate towards because it’s exciting to think about our purpose and future; but it also leads to a lot of questions and patient waiting since no individuals can get the clarity they are hoping for in one instance. Our instinct is to find out what to do with our lives, but we don’t get that “microwave answer” because calling is actually something that is realized through an ongoing relationship with God and the clarity of what to do matures overtime. 

From what we can glean from the Exodus story, God first calls Israel to Himself—to a love relationship with Him. He identifies himself as a Father and Israel is His “firstborn son” (Ex. 4:22). In today’s passage, God is about to send a final plague unto Egypt, but the calamity will not hit any of the Israelite homes. The plague will “pass over” them, and the loud cry in the land will cause Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Today’s Scripture shows us that God’s act of deliverance makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. Israel is not only set free, but is “called out” of the darkness of slavery and “made distinct” as a people for God Himself. God calls Israel out of their “former life” to a relationship with Him, in which He would be their new Lord and Master. He called them because of His love for them and His promise to their forefather Abraham, and not based on their works or merit. Through the ministry of the tabernacle and the giving of the Law, they would spend the first season outside of Egypt learning what it means to obey and relate to God. 

Later, after being delivered from Egypt, God then reveals His vocational calling for them, which is to be a kingdom priests and a holy nation (Ex. 19:6). They would be a vessel through which other nations would get to know God. As Christians, we each have a unique calling, or vocation, to fulfill in God’s kingdom, but the foundation to our vocation is the same, which is a calling to God Himself. We are distinct in that God pursue a relationship with us first, and it is through our response to a relationship with Him that the task He has for us becomes clear. This morning, let’s bask in the reality that God has delightfully chosen to be our Father and calls us to a personal relationship with us. 

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You that You have called me to be, first and foremost, Your son/daughter. Help me to be an unhurried recipient of Your grace and love. I praise You because there is no other God like You, who chooses people based on Your love and an invitation to a relationship with You. May Your grace and love empower to respond to Your mission and assignment for me as You make it clear to me. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Hosea 11:1-4: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. 3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.”

Questions to Consider

  • What kind of relationship does God have with Israel?
  • What event is Hosea referring to in the first verse?
  • What does this passage reveal about God’s purpose for delivering Israel out of Egypt?

Notes

  • Through the prophet Hosea, God reveals that his relationship with Israel is like a father to a son. He loves Israel like a father raising his child – teaching him to walk, taking him by his arms and bending down to feed him. 
  • Hosea is referring to the Exodus event, when the Lord delivered Israel out of slavery in Egypt by hardening Pharaoh’s heart and sending the 10 plagues which eventually caused Pharaoh to drive the Israelites out of Egypt. 
  • He delivered them, not only to set them free, but it was a calling to a relationship with Him. He delivered them so they could enter into a relationship of trust, faithfulness and obedience to Him. Israel had a history after the Exodus of turning to other gods and abandoning God as their God, yet God faithfully kept calling them back to Himself through his covenants and prophets. 

Evening Reflection

The apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 3:13-14, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Reflect on whether you are really living the life of the kingdom of the Son in whom we have received the forgiveness of our sins.  This behooves us to ask: Are we still holding onto old grudges that is keeping us from forgiving someone close to us? Perhaps, tonight is the night we let that go—because of Jesus.

September 22, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on February 4, 2019, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato. Jason, along with his wife Jessica and their three young children, is serving in Japan as an AMI missionary.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Promise Keeper”

Exodus 1:8-14 (ESV)

Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. [9] And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. [10] Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” [11] Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. [12] But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. [13] So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves [14] and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.

Many years ago, I served in a high school youth group.  Some students were very concerned about their grades and they could feel as if the presence or absence of God in their lives was as simple as whether they got an A or a C on their latest test.  While this is sort of silly, we are also prone to let the circumstances of our lives dictate what we believe about God.  If we are in a season of success, God is good and He loves us.  If we are in a season of suffering, we wonder whether God is absent and if He may be angry.

During the time of Joseph, God’s people are honored and shown great favor in the land of Egypt.  They flourish economically and numerically.  They can clearly see how God is fulfilling His promise to Abraham to make of his offspring a great nation.  Yet this time quickly comes to an end and there arises a new king who does not know Joseph.  The Israelites are feared and then enslaved.  God’s people had risen to the top of Egyptian society only to then plummet down to the very bottom.

Yet “the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread abroad.”  In the midst of suffering and oppression, God’s people are being grown into the very nation He had promised they would be.  While God’s people are confused, this is His chosen plan to set the people apart for Himself, to prepare them to go into the Promised Land, and to demonstrate His greatness.  Thus their suffering does not occur because God is failing to keep His promises but because He is faithful to keep them!

Many times the challenges or suffering we face are God’s ordained means of fulfilling His promises in our lives.  Jesus promises to cleanse and heal us, to set us free from bondage, to make us into His likeness, and to draw us near to Him.  Even when we cannot understand how, He is sovereignly working all things to fulfill His promises to us and give us life and joy in Him. 

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are always faithful in Your love for me.  There are many things in my life that I do not understand, but I do know that You love me and are working all things for my good.  I put my hope in You! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Genesis 37:5–11 (ESV): Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. [6] He said to them, “Hear this dream that I have dreamed: [7] Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.” [8] His brothers said to him, “Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.[9] Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” [10] But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” [11] And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. 

Questions to Consider

  • What does God promise Joseph?
  • In this passage, what was the immediate fruit of Joseph’s dream?
  • Based on your knowledge of Genesis, what necessary events occur in Joseph’s life that lead to the fulfillment of God’s promises to him?

Notes

  • God promises Joseph that his brothers and even his parents would one day bow down to him.
  • Joseph’s brothers hated him even more than before and he was rebuked by his father.
  • In order to bring Joseph to a place of authority, he needed to be sold into slavery, falsely accused, thrown in jail, and forgotten in prison.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  Did you encounter any unexpected suffering or challenges?  Bring these things before the Lord.  Ask Him to draw near to you as the God of all comfort.  Ask the Father to help you trust and walk in His sovereign plan for you.

September 21, Sunday

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Though, first posted on September 9, 2018, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun. Mark is now serving as a staff at Radiance Christian Church in S.F. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Suffering for Christ”

Jeremiah 36:26-32 (ESV)

And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son and Seraiah the son of Azriel and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them. 27 Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words that Baruch wrote at Jeremiah’s dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 “Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned. 29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord, You have burned this scroll, saying, “Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it man and beast?” 30 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. 31 And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’ ” 32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them. 

How many of us would be willing to endure persecution and suffering in order to proclaim and preserve God’s truth?  If there was a law that was passed in our country that called for everyone to turn in their copy of the Bible, and it became punishable by death to possess the Scriptures, who among us would be willing to pay such a price?  The answer to that question is something that I wrestled with as I read through a book entitled Wide as the Waters.  The book chronicles the history of the English Bible and details the lives of the men who made it possible for every English speaker in the world to have copy of the Bible in their own vernacular. 

Unknown to many Christians is the fact that the Book we possess in our hands didn’t come merely from the hard work of translators and editors; what we now enjoy freely has been bought by the blood of the martyrs.  The story of the English Bible, and subsequently the Reformation, began with a man by the name of John Wycliffe.  Born in 1328, he has been called “the forerunner” and “the morning star” of the Reformation.   Christian history teaches that the precursor to the start of the Reformation was the debate over who has true authority—the pope or the Scriptures.  The Roman Catholic Church operated, and still operates, under the principle of papal monarchy.  Their view on authority can be summed up by the decree of Pope Gregory VII:  “The pope can be judged by no one; the Roman church as never erred and never will err till the end of time; the Roman church was founded by Christ alone; the pope alone can depose and restore bishops; he alone can make new laws….”  This was accepted without question until one corrupt pope after another ascended to the papacy; and tiring of this, people began to doubt the doctrine of papal authority.  But if the pope doesn’t have the final say, then who does?  Well, it dawned on a few men that the Scriptures should be the ultimate authority, since men are prone to error, while the Word of God is perfect.  Instead of papal authority, they deduced that all matters of faith should be decided by the Scriptures alone.  

But in order for this vision to become a reality, men like John Wycliffe decided that every believer ought to have a copy of the Bible in their own language.  This was met with fierce resistance from the Catholic Church, and those who agreed with Wycliffe were labeled as heretics.  Although Wycliffe died a natural death, many of his followers were burned at the stake.  Eventually, Wycliffe was denounced as a heretic.  His remains were dug out of consecrated church ground and thrown into the Avon river in England, and from there a prophesy arose among the people:  “The Avon to the Severn runs, the Severn to the sea, and Wycliffe’s dust shall spread abroad, Wide as the Waters be.”  His life became the inspiration for a group called “the Wycliffe translators,” many of whom have sacrificed their own well-being in order to translate the Word of God into every language.  

As we think about the lives of these people who were willing to sacrifice so much for the spread of God’s word, we might ask ourselves, Why?  What is their motivation?    For these men and women, they have put their absolute trust and their complete hope in the Word of God.   Trusting in God is identical to trusting in His Word—there is no division between the two.  And so for us to really trust God, we need to start by trusting in His Word.  

Prayer:  Father, teach us to delight in Your Word and to trust in all Your promises.  You alone have the words of life, and You have spoken them through the life of Your Son.  Fill us with the same type of conviction that inspired the prophets and the saints of old to risk so much to share Your Word.  Although the grass may wither and our lives pass before us, the Word of our God will endure forever!  Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 16

September 20, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on July 21, 2018.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Legacy – What Will You Leave Behind?”

Jeremiah 22:8-19 (NET Bible)

“‘People from other nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, “Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?” 9 The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.” 10 “‘Do not weep for the king who was killed. Do not grieve for him. But weep mournfully for the king who has gone into exile. For he will never return to see his native land again. 11 “‘For the Lord has spoken about Shallum son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but was carried off into exile. He has said, “He will never return to this land. 12 For he will die in the country where they took him as a captive. He will never see this land again.” 13 “‘Sure to be judged is the king who builds his palace using injustice and treats people unfairly while adding its upper rooms. He makes his countrymen work for him for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor. 14 He says, “I will build myself a large palace with spacious upper rooms.” He cuts windows in its walls, panels it with cedar, and paints its rooms red. 15 Does it make you any more of a king that you outstrip everyone else in building with cedar? Just think about your father. He was content that he had food and drink. He did what was just and right. So things went well with him. 16 He upheld the cause of the poor and needy. So things went well for Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘That is a good example of what it means to know me.’ 17 But you are always thinking and looking for ways to increase your wealth by dishonest means. Your eyes and your heart are set on killing some innocent person and committing fraud and oppression. 18 So the Lord has this to say about Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah: People will not mourn for him, saying, “This makes me sad, my brother! This makes me sad, my sister!” They will not mourn for him, saying, “Poor, poor lord! Poor, poor majesty!” 19 He will be left unburied just like a dead donkey. His body will be dragged off and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.’”

Let’s talk about LEGACY. Merriam-Webster defines legacy as, “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.” We often employ this word to mean “memory” – how each of us will be remembered. Depending on our age and season of life, this may or may not be a question we’ve pondered extensively. But the older we get, and the closer we come to the end of any season, the more pressing the questions of what we will leave behind and how we will be remembered tends to matter to us. 

In today’s passage, the legacy of these kings is abysmal to say the least. Instead of leaving behind a thriving nation that loves God, they left a destroyed city, the survivors of which are in exile. The former city will only be remembered as the site of the Lord’s judgment. Unlike their father, who was a king content with God’s provision, did what was right, cared for the poor and needy, and (as all this demonstrates) knew the Lord (vv.15-16), these kings are awful. They built large palaces for themselves by unjust means – not compensating their workers fairly (v.13) – more concerned about building large opulent buildings for themselves than about building the nation with which they’d been entrusted. They were concerned with accumulating wealth for themselves and did so dishonestly (v.17). They oppressed, defrauded, and even killed innocent people. And God wasn’t having it!

Although we are not in this kind of relationship with God (though I sometimes wish nations still were…), we stand to learn from the mistake made by these kings. So what kind of legacy will we leave behind? We are unlikely to leave a legacy of exploitation and murder (well, hopefully not), but what about one marked by greed, selfish ambition, a lack of care for the needy, or a failure to invest in God’s Kingdom? Furthermore, what kind of world will we leave for those coming after us? 

Recently former President Barack Obama finally reemerged in the public sphere to give a lecture in South Africa on the legacy of the late Nelson Mandela in celebration of Mandela’s 100th birthday. (I highly recommend the lecture and a closer look at Nelson Mandela’s life!) Mandela devoted his life to the fight for equality in South Africa and paid a high price in the process. His commitment to his people, his selfless determination to win justice for oppressed, his ability to forgive decades of imprisonment and horrendous treatment are all part of the legacy he left behind. The host of a satirical news talk show summed up my sentiments well, “Let’s just acknowledge how dope [awesome] you have to be for people to keep throwing you birthdays after you’re dead” (Trevor Noah). I hope I’ll be that “dope” – maybe not on a global stage, but certainly in the lives of those God entrusts to me along my journey. What about you? How “dope” will you be? 

Prayer: Gracious God, help me today to reflect on my legacy. At the end of my current season and the end of my time on this earth, may I leave behind, if nothing else, a witness to Your Great Name. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 14-15