October 15, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches, is an updated version of his blog first posted on April 17, 2014.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Would You Do If You Knew That This Would be Your Last Day on Earth?”

John 14:18-21

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

Oftentimes, when reading the accounts of the Last Supper, I ask myself what I would do if I knew that this would be my last night on earth.  I used to think that I’d do something really adventurous, like skydive, base jump, or climb a mountain, but as I thought about it more,  I would probably spend my last night at home with my family.  

Surprisingly, I can even imagine this being the most selfless night of my life, catering to whatever my wife and kids would want to do.  My kids being so young, such a night would probably entail endless chasing and wrestling, watching a continual loop of Frozen, Ice Age, and Dora, and continually getting them every snack and drink they wanted.  Even their silly questions would get my full attention and elicit genuine thought on my part.  I’d like to believe that I’d find the patience to do all the things that normally drive me crazy with my children.  

One of the reasons we see so much tenderness in the Last Supper narratives is that these disciples were “children” to Christ, and the Lord knew this would be his last night with them.  On this night, even when the disciples’ constant bickering on who would be the greatest could’ve wore thin, Jesus tenderly set the example of service by washing their feet.  When Philip, who, like the rest, could not grasp Jesus’ message and asked to see the Father, Jesus patiently told him that they have all seen the Father through the Son (John 14:8-14).  Even Peter’s bravado and self-surety was met by a matter-of-fact warning from Christ that he would indeed deny him three times (John 13:38).  

So, this morning, take a few minutes to read through the Last Supper narratives (John 13-17).  Try to get a glimpse of the Lord’s heart as he comforts his disciples, reminds them again of who he is, and tells them who and what to expect in the coming days.  Maybe this will be the first time in a long time, but admire him for his tenderness; thank him for his selflessness; and love him for his sacrifice. 

Prayer: Jesus, as we remember you on the eve of your sacrifice, please help us to fall in love with you over again.  We confess that after many years, our hearts have become numbed to the cross; forgive us and renew us.  Thank you once again because you loved us first.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 12

Lunch Break Study

John 17:20-26: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Questions to Consider

  1. For whom is the Lord praying?  What is his prayer request?
  2. Why is unity so important?
  3. How important is unity in your life? 

Notes

  1. The Lord was praying for all who would believe in his message; this includes us.  His prayer request is for unity among the believers; a unity that reflects the unity that Christ and the Father share.  He also prays that the love of the Trinity would be in us (17:26).  
  2. Unity reflects the love between the Father and the Son and serves as a witness to the unbelieving world (17:21).
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

Were you able to take time today to reflect on Christ?  How has your desire for Christ been lately?  Do you feel like you are growing in your love, or is your Christian walk more like a chore?  Pray earnestly that the Lord would rekindle your passion for him and thankfulness to our Savior this weekend.

October 14, Wednesday

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 24, 2013.  He is a graduate of Stanford University (BA), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (D.Min.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Pity the Weak but Have Consideration for Them”

Psalm: 41:1-3 (NIV)

Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The Lord will protect him and preserve his life; he will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness. 

In Psalm 40:1 is found an explicit promise of blessing that we would do well to heed: God blesses us when we have a caring and loving heart towards the “weak”.  The weak here is a broad term that includes those who have less in financial, physical, or spiritual sense.

How do we receive this blessing?  The word I want to focus on this morning is “regard”.  The ESV translates this word as “considers,” which accentuates the active and persistent nature of regarding someone.   There is a difference between wanting to care for the poor, the lost and the broken as opposed to having a regard or consideration for them.  It is the difference between sporadically reacting in compassion to help those who are weak, and pro-actively seeking to serve the weak in the manner that God loves and considers us.

In my experience, one main reason we are not more actively ministering to the weak is because we spend too much time thinking about our own needs and wants; as a result, we rarely consider the needs of those around us.  Our eyes may see them but our hearts don’t really “look” at them (i.e., regard or consider them).   So when those who need our ministry are out of sight, they are usually out of our mind.  Therefore, let us open our eyes, minds and hearts to those whom God desires to bless through us!

Are you pro-actively considering the needs of those around you?  Our model in this, of course, is Jesus who came for sinners, not the righteous (Mark 2:17).  Today, let us shift our focus away from ourselves and place it on those whom God desires to bless through us.

Prayer: Father, I confess that I am quite capable of focusing on myself and my own needs through the entirety of the day.  I pray that today (and the days following) would be different.  Help me to actively engage my prayers, thoughts, emotions and actions upon those whom You desire for me to serve.  I thank You that in doing this, I am in a small way reflecting Your heart of love and compassion towards me.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Acts 11

Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 (NIV): Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Questions to Consider

  1. Read 1 Corinthians 8:1-8.  What is the context of this passage above?
  2. What arguments does Paul use to persuade the “strong” person to restrict his/her freedom voluntarily?
  3. What does it take to be a “strong” person? (c.f. Romans 15:1-2)

Notes

  1. The primary issue here is that of Christian freedom.  The church in Corinth faced a dilemma.  Was it permissible for Christians to eat meat sacrificed to idols, knowing that those idols are “nothing at all in the world”?  Paul agreed with the Christians who thought eating such meat was permissible.  But knowing that there was a group of Christians who thought eating such meat was wrong, he asked the “stronger” Christians to refrain.  
  2. Paul offers three main arguments:
    1. A strong Christian’s freedom can become a stumbling block to the weak Christian, causing his faith to weaken rather than grow.  In verse 10, Paul notes a scenario where a weak Christian eats food sacrificed to idols not in faith, but merely by seeing the example of another Christian.
    2. We must always see our fellow Christians as the brother or sister for whom Christ died.  We must discipline ourselves to avoid anything by which this person might be “destroyed” (verse 11).
    3. When we sin against our brother or sister in this way, we in fact “sin against Christ” (verse 12).
  3. In Romans 15:1, Paul tells us that one characteristic of strong Christians is to “bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves”.  That last phrase “not to please ourselves” is the key.  Such an attitude goes against the grain, which is nurtured on a notion of “my rights”.  Strong Christians do not insist upon their own rights but are amenable to restrict themselves for the sake of others.  This is the true Christian freedom.

Additional Note: It seems very burdensome to have to sacrifice one’s freedom and rights for others.  While we don’t normally confront the issue of food sacrificed to idols in America, the principle here is still very applicable to us.  In order that others may grow in faith, are we willing to restrict ourselves in areas such as, our lifestyle, drinking alcohol, the cars that we drive, etc?   Regardless whether we are able to justify our choices theologically (e.g., “Drinking in moderation is okay”), the bigger question is whether we are considering those who are weaker (for instance, someone who grew up believing that any kind of drinking is sinful, or someone who used to drink but hasn’t done so in awhile because of his faith)? Do we consider our time, habits, ambitions, and lifestyles so sacrosanct that we are unwilling to make any changes for the sake of others?  Or are we willing to give up on certain things so that others may grow in faith?

Evening Reflection

What has God been saying to you today about your lifestyle?  Are there any changes that you ought to consider out of consideration for those whom you desire to encourage in faith?  Let us process through these considerations in our journals.

October 13, Tuesday

NEW Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei.  He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church plant by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Be Ready”

2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

After living in Taipei for two years, I feel like I have finally acclimated to the weather, food, and way of life in this island country. But one thing I have only just begun to grasp is the complexity of the relationship between Taiwan and China. For those of you who are well acquainted with this situation, you also know that this is a topic that is loaded with political baggage. My intent for mentioning this subject is not to proclaim one political view over the other; rather, I would like to present two humble observations, and a general application.

Observation #1. It’s only a matter of time before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will take some form of action on Taiwan. It’s no secret that the CCP wants to claim full authority over Taiwan. A major deterrence to this has been the presence of the United States, who have promised to come to Taiwan’s defense should any military action be taken by the CCP. However, with the recent events happening in America (e.g. COVID-19 outbreak and the upcoming presidential election) and in light of what happened in Hong Kong, many experts believe the timeline for a CCP takeover of Taiwan is shortening. Some reputable sources even suggest that a military advance is imminent as early as January 2021. Regardless of how we feel about it, this is the reality we are facing here in Taiwan, and we certainly feel the tension.

Observation #2. The time is ticking for our church. Up until this point in my life, I’ve had the blessing of being part of churches that will probably outlive me. Growing up in the States, I have never once thought about my church as something that had a time limit. To me, my church would always be around; but there is in fact a time limit. Yes, the churches in Taiwan are currently enjoying the freedom to gather, to evangelize, and to make disciples without any external hindrance. But all of this could change. Of course, we don’t know if we have 1 year, or 50 years. But one thing is for sure: the clock is ticking! We don’t have forever to accomplish our mission.

Application: We must use the precious time we have (whether it’s 1 year or 50 years) to raise up as many kingdom-minded disciples as possible. We need to train Christians who are ready to preach the gospel, in season and out of season, in persecution or freedom; believers who love God’s Word and can reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. This is not just for churches in Taiwan. The truth is that all of our churches have a time limit when it comes to our mission, because Jesus could come back at any time. We might have 1 year, or 50 years left; no one really knows. But one thing is for sure: the time for casual Christianity is over – nay, it never existed. The question that remains is: how will we use this precious time that we have left?

Prayer: Jesus, give us a sense of urgency regarding the mission you have given us. Would you remind us all of the reality of the coming Kingdom and give us a refreshed perspective as to what you are doing in our cities. Please raise up more workers for the harvest and encourage those who are currently running the race for you.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 3:17-21: Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to this passage, what are the characteristics of one who walks as an enemy of the cross of Christ?
  2. What does Paul encourage the Philippian church to do?
  3. What hope does Paul encourage the Philippian church to cling to?

Notes

  1. “Enemies of the cross of Christ” is one of the most extreme titles Paul assigns to someone. Paul is most likely referring to the Judaizers (those who went around forcing Christian converts to practice Judaism as a requirement for salvation). In this passage he describes them: “Their god is their belly”. They overemphasize the physical aspects of faith (e.g. eating laws).  “They glory in their shame.” They boast about the things they ought to be ashamed of. “They set their minds on earthly things.” Paul makes a sobering judgment upon these people: “Their end is destruction”.
  2. Paul encourages them to imitate him and those who walk according to Christ’s example. Previously, Paul, in his letter, had mentioned Timothy and Epaphroditus as outstanding examples of Christ-like humility and service. Paul urges the church to look to these examples and imitate them. Who are you imitating? Are you a person who lives as an example of Christ?
  3. During the time when Roman citizenship and Caesar-worship was mainstream, Paul reminds the church that their citizenship is in heaven, and their Lord is Jesus Christ. In the midst of our (broken) world, let us cling to the assurance of hope that we have in Jesus Christ!

Evening Reflection

Spend some time praying for a sense of urgency in your church. Let’s pray for more Christ-like examples, the kind that we can look and imitate. Finally, let’s remember that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven.

October 12, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Sam Lee who leads Catalyst Agape Church in Northern New Jersey, was first posted on July 21, 2014.  He is a graduate of University of Wisconsin (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Focusing on What We Do Have”

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Do you realize what it means to be a citizen of heaven, “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession”? It means that the door of heaven has already been opened for us through Christ; that is, in Christ, we can have heaven on earth. 

As citizens of heaven, we have new life; all our past sins are forgiven, and we are washed clean from guilt, shame, accusation, and condemnations. The radical love of God is poured down upon us, and the power of God transforms and empowers us and to disciple nations. 

And here is the good news: We don’t need a special work visa to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, for our faith in Christ makes us heirs of the Kingdom of God. So we can stop striving today. And we can stop stressing, since the source of much stress comes from our fear of the unknown or unfulfilled desires. 

Let’s take a little breather today, not focusing on what we don’t have, but what we already have in Christ. Let’s remind ourselves what it means to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God, taking our focus from this world, so that we can live empowered lives as Kingdom workers!

Prayer: I am a new creation. The old is gone, the new is here. The old temptations have no power over me. I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:14-17: For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Questions to Consider

  1. Meditate on some of the blessings of being adopted as a true child of God?
  2. What would be the differences between living as heirs as opposed to living as slaves?

Notes

  1. One blessing that stands out is that I will never be disowned by the Father nor will I be separated from His love (Rom. 8:35).
  2. Confidence vs. fear; hope vs. hopelessness; freedom vs. bondage, to name a few.

Evening Reflection

What is one area in which God has convicted you regarding your identity in Christ? What would you need to do to walk out that truth this week?

October 11, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, was first posted on April 21, 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 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 

The apostle Paul, after having linked prayer with joy, declares, “Give thanks in all circumstances.”  We can readily see how these three disciplines—joy, prayer and gratitude—are linked: a grateful heart gives thanks in prayers to God, which sparks joy in our hearts.  In other words, we train ourselves to be joyous and grateful by giving thanks in prayer.  

Of course, this is not as simple as it sounds.  We cannot try to be grateful; rather, we must train ourselves in gratitude.  This doesn’t simply mean that we offer more prayers of thanksgiving, although that would help.  Fundamentally, our training must move us away from a sense of entitlement and move us toward humility because gratitude always involves a posture of humility.   

However, when we succumb to an attitude of entitlement or a sense that someone is indebted to us, we will not have a thankful heart.  But the awareness that we have received an undeserved gift will increase our capacity to be grateful.  In other words, the more humble we become, the more grateful we will be.  

I invite you to join me in training, which certainly includes offering prayers of thanksgiving unto the Lord without ceasing, to engender the heart of gratitude.  Moreover, let us work diligently to weaken our sense of entitlement.  As the first step, let us remind ourselves daily that everything that we possess—our bodies, minds, educations, jobs, families, relationships, food, etc.—are all gifts from a gracious God given to an undeserving people.  

As we live in recognition of such amazing grace, our joy will continue to increase. 

Prayer: Father, what an awesome God you are!  Help me to taste and see Your goodness as I put my life in Your hands.  I put my trust in You alone for I know that You are faithful.  May I continue to grow in my knowledge (both theological and experiential) of You, that I might always have a heart of gratitude.  In Jesus’s name, I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 8

October 10, Saturday

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 10, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Three Takeaways from the Temptation of Jesus”

Luke 4:1-13

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’11 and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

This is a familiar passage in which the devil tempts Jesus in his most vulnerable physical state.  What can we learn from this? 

First, we learn about the three types of temptations to which we are most vulnerable: 1) Trying to make things happen on our own rather than trusting in God’s provision; 2) Submitting to other things, such as material things, rather than to God; and 3) Putting yourself in a place where you are susceptible to temptation, then expecting God to help you. Out of the three, which one describes your vulnerability?  This morning, pray and seek God to strengthen you in the area of your greatest weakness.

Second, note that living in this mortal body, we will be tempted, for no one is free from temptation.  And just because we have overcome a particular temptation in the past is no guarantee that we won’t be tempted by the same in the future: “When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13).  Therefore, we need to continue to rely on Christ, meaning we constantly need to ask the Lord to help us make prudent decisions to avoid placing ourselves in situations where sinning is readily accessible.  Pray that you will continue to look to Him for help.

Third, interestingly, the temptation of Jesus is placed immediately after mentioning of the first man Adam (Lk. 3:38).  It shows that the devil, who successfully tempted the first Adam in the Garden, is the same entity who was now tempting Jesus, the last Adam.  The great difference, however, is that the last Adam, Jesus, did not succumb to the temptation.  One benefit of his victory is that Jesus can deliver us “in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16).  Trust and pray to God in the area where you are vulnerable to temptation.

Prayer: Dear God, help me to overcome temptations.  With Your constant presence in my life through the Holy Spirit, I shall overcome temptations. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 6-7

October 9, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches, is an updated version of his blog first posted on April 18, 2014.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Day When God the Father Did Not Answer”

Mark 15:33-34

At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.  34 And at the night hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” – which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  

I am not entirely sure how or why this is the case, but our society has a picture of how a hero is supposed to act when he is being tortured by his enemies. So for example, in the 1995 film Braveheart, the hero William Wallace, refuses to take a pain relieving narcotic for fear that it would numb his mind, which might in turn allow him to give into pain and cry out, thus giving his enemy the satisfaction of knowing that his spirit had been broken.  So when Wallace is tortured to death, but does not cry out, except to yell, “Freedom!”, the audience is meant to feel that he won.  

Why I bring this up is that some critics of Christianity will often point to Mark 15:34 to argue that Jesus was not the Son of God, because God would not cry out like this. (For the record, in Matt 27:34, Jesus did reject a wine and gall mixture sedative, presumably to experience the fullness of physical suffering and crucifixion.)  Other skeptics believe it impossible for God the Father to reject God the Son (how can God turn away from God?).  The truth is that this verse has baffled Christians and non-Christians a like for centuries.  From my perspective, 2 Cor 5:21 sums it up, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  I believe that for a brief moment in history, when Christ bore all of our sins in his body, the Holy Father, who cannot stand sin, did in fact, turn away from his Son.  

Now separation from the Father may not seem a big deal to the modern reader, as many of us probably prefer times of solitude.  But remember the Triune God is never alone; before time began, they have always enjoyed perfect fellowship with each other.  This spiritual separation was a new and terrifying experience for the Lord; I believe it is this rejection that caused the Son to cry out as he did.  I enjoyed how The Jesus Storybook Bible put it, “’Papa?’ Jesus cried, frantically searching the sky.  ‘Papa?  Where are you?  Don’t leave me!’  And for the first time – and the last – when he spoke, nothing happened.  Just a horrible, endless silence.  God didn’t answer.  He turned away from his Boy.”  

It is only because of the incarnation that the all-knowing, all-powerful, eternal Son could experience anything “new” like pain, suffering, and separation from God.  And the reason he would go through all this is because we needed it.  Please reflect on the cross today; please repent of the sin you could not fix yourself and thank Christ for his sacrifice.  

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for the cross of Jesus Christ.  Help me this day to reflect on Your great love and great sacrifice.  Let me never think that Your sacrifice was easy or cost You nothing.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Acts 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 9:22-28:  Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Questions to Consider

  1. In Matt. 27:51, we are given this tidbit of information, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” Why is this detail significant?
  2. How are Christ’s sacrifices and animal sacrifices similar and different?
  3. From a day-to-day standpoint, what are some ramifications of Christ’s once and for all sacrifice?    

Notes

  1. The temple curtain separated the holy place from the most holy place (thought to be resting place of God).  Only the high priest was allowed in the most holy place and only once a year (Heb 9:7); so, the average person did not have direct access to God.  When Christ died, all were allowed direct access to the Father.
  2. The similarity is that they were both blood sacrifices.  However, Christ’s sacrifice was a one-time, permanent, and totally effective sacrifice to appease God’s hatred of sin, forever.  Previous animal sacrifices were repeated and only meant to symbolize the coming sacrifice of the Son. 
  3. The once and for all nature of Christ’s sacrifice means that he died for all of our sins, past, present, and future.  Unfortunately, some Christians continue to live in guilt, practically living as if Christ needs to die again and again for the sins they cannot break.  This is just not true.  

Evening Reflection

Have you had a chance to reflect on the cross today?  Without trying to make yourself feel guilty, do you understand the depth of your sinfulness and your need for grace?  Are you thankful that Christ chose the cross, so that you can have a relationship with the Triune God?   

October 8, Thursday

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by then (2013) staff of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan, was first posted on September 5, 2013.  It has been updated. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Things We Value in Life”

Psalm 84:9-12

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! 10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!

What are the things we value in life?  If anything, losses of many kinds suffered by countless people during this ongoing COVID season have been a wakeup call to us—to consider our life’s priorities. I think this Psalm can help us to reevaluate.

The psalmist concludes this Psalm by confronting what we value and how we view our lives. As he has been pining for the presence of the Lord that would be found in Zion, the psalmist declares that being someone of a lowly station in God’s presence is far more desirable than to live among wicked people. He knows that the favor and honor of the Lord is far greater than anything else that can be gained.                                                  

This prosperity that the psalmist cries out for is directly related to our relationship with the “anointed one,” who is usually referred to as the king of Israel; when he prospers, all of Israel prospers.  Ultimately, as the OT is the shadow of the things to come in the New (Heb. 10:1), this Psalm is foreshadowing the coming of Christ the King.  By asking for God to “behold our shield” and “look on the face of your anointed,” the psalmist is asking for His favor upon the king.  Yet, by stating that the Lord God is the “sun and shield,” there is acknowledgement that YHWH (i.e., kyrios, that is, Lord, which is applied to Christ in the NT) takes precedence above all else.

So what are the things we value in life? Do we value worldly blessings over the favor and honor of the Lord? Do we trust in our own strength to gain the desires of our heart, or do we trust that God will bless us and not withhold good things? This morning, let us re-evaluate what is desirable and what is not. 

Let us believe the truth that a day at the courts of God, in His presence, is better than a thousand elsewhere. Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict you that God’s presence should take precedence over every other desire.

Prayer:  Dear God, help me to open wide my spiritual eyes to see that You are eternal and permanent while everything I am working for in the moment will ebb away with the passing of time. Lord, strengthen my will to hold tightly to my hope in You.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 1:9-11: “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Background tidbit: The city of Philippi was named after Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. The importance of the city is due in part to its location, which is right off of the Ignatian Way (a major road in the Roman highway system).

Questions to Consider

  1. How does the apostle Paul show his love for the Philippians? 
  2. Why does Paul pray for the Philippians the way he does here?
  3. What do you think is meant by the phrase, “The day of Christ”?

Notes

  1. It is interesting that the apostle Paul’s deep love for the people of Philippi shows in his passionate intercession for them, for he prays that their love grows with knowledge and discernment. 
  2. Paul prays for the Philippians so that they can know the things of God and continue to grow in their relationships with Him, which is marked by the fruit that Jesus bears in their lives. Basically, Paul wants them to have a greater capacity to adore and worship God!  
  3. “The day of Christ” is mentioned for the second time in v. 11 (the first time in v.6), referring to the second coming of Christ when He returns in glory to raise His people from the dead and bring them into the eternal Kingdom.

Evening Reflection

Psalm 105:4: “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.”       

Prayer: Lord, I will magnify Your strength instead of my weakness and vulnerability, for I acknowledge that You are the One who gives me strength. I will cultivate a trusting heart, fully anticipating Your goodness, mercy, and strength at every turn. As a little child rejoices, I will allow and encourage myself to delight in who You are as my mighty, powerful, and strong God. Lord, be my joy and my song, for in your presence there is strength. Tonight, I thank You for giving me the privilege to stare into Your beautiful face of strength. Amen.

October 7, Wednesday

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 24, 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

“Undercover Boss”

Ecclesiastes 9:17

The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

If you’ve never seen it before, the reality TV show, Undercover Boss, is a fascinating concept.  The CEO/boss of a company disguises himself as a newly hired employee and pretends to “learn the ropes” at his own workplace. Most of the time, his words of advice and guiding comments are completely ignored by the workers because he is, in their eyes, a “nobody”. Blinded by appearances, even when the CEO raises his voice while offering wise advice, none of them pay any attention because all the workers assume that they know better than this “rookie” who “came out of nowhere”. 

The best part of the show, as you can imagine, is when the boss reveals his identity, and the ensuing looks of shock. Consequentially, the ones who were prideful and unwilling to heed the advice of the disguised boss are fired from the institution. On the other hand, those who quieted their own ego and recognized the wise words are praised. 

“Undercover Boss” unveils an attitude problem that we tend to have.  We think we know how to live our own lives. At times we are offended when we are asked or challenged to change the pattern of our lives. Even the very Word of God has a hard time finding its place on the throne of our hearts and minds. But the Bible says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). 

Whether it is godly wisdom from a friend, coworker, family member, or the Bible, let’s quiet our egos and make room in our hearts for wisdom to come in.

Prayer: Lord, would You soften my heart today. I don’t know it all; I don’t have my life all figured out. Help me to let go of any pride that is hindering me from being molded and sharpened. In this moment, help me to be still and recognize that You are God.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:Acts 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 53:1-3: Who has believed what he has heard from us?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?For he grew up before him like a young plant,and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him.He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Questions to Consider

  1. In what ways did Jesus come as an “undercover boss”?
  2. When Jesus came to earth in the flesh, how was He treated?
  3. If Jesus was to be revealed today as the Lord over all creation, including us, what would be your reaction?

Notes

  1. Jesus came without fanfare, without royalty, without fame. There was nothing flashy about the way he came to us. He was born humbly, dressed humbly, and as one of us. 
  2. When Jesus walked on the earth, He was respected by some as a teacher, He was sought after by others as a healer, and still others mocked him, ignored him, or plotted his demise. In the end, humanity was responsible for nailing the Lord Jesus Christ to a cross, and treating Him as a common criminal.
  3. Jesus Christ IS the Lord over all creation, and he IS the Lord over us as well. Now that his true identity has been fully revealed to us, He is no longer an “undercover” boss; He IS (just) the boss. Yet, sometimes we are so preoccupied with our own thoughts and desires that we forget to heed His words.

Evening Reflection

Earlier today, it was mentioned that Jesus is our “boss”. Although that is true, He is much more than just our boss! In John 15, Jesus says: “You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you”

We are more than just God’s employees because He invites us to share with him his heart. This evening, ask God to share His heart with you.

October 6, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on May 15, 2014.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Gives You the Right to Speak to Me?”

Titus 2:15

“These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.”

Paul has just finished giving instructions to Titus on what he should teach to different groups in the church.  His focus has been to show them how their knowledge of the gospel message should affect how they live their everyday lives.  He has addressed the issues of older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and slaves, choosing those most relevant to each group, instructing them on how to live godly, productive lives.  These are the things Titus was to teach people.

As a mentor, however, Paul does not only just give the content of instruction; he also provides moral support.  Paul knew the situation, the potential opposition Titus might face.  The people could say, “Why should we listen to you?  We have more life experience.”  Or, “What do you, a man, understand about women?” Or, “As a free person, what do you know about being a slave and what we go through?”  And so he encourages Titus, reminding him that he can speak with authority.  

What is the nature of this authority? Many of us can relate to the difficulty the people could have had receiving Titus’ instruction. We may have less of a problem with being taught by those who are older or have relevant life experiences to speak from.  But can a pastor who has never worked in the corporate world really tell us how we should handle situations in the workplace?  Can a man really tell women how to be good wives and mothers?  But the authority that God gives our leaders is not based on human experiences.  Though neither Jesus nor Paul was married, in the Bible, it is the teachings of these two single men that set the standard of how marriage should work (Matt. 19, Eph. 5).

Let’s check our hearts today.  Are we resisting any kind of instruction because we think the teacher is not qualified to speak into our lives, not because of their lack of personal character, but because they lack some experience we think they should have?  If they carry God’s authority, it is our loss.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to have a humble heart and not despise (= look down on, think little of) Your servants.  Whether my small group leader, Bible study teacher or pastor, help me to recognize the authority You have given them and receive all that You have for me through their ministry. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 2

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Timothy 4:11-16: “Command and teach these things.  [12] Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. [13] Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. [14] Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. [15] Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. [16] Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What does it mean not to let others look down on us (v. 12)?
  2. Rather than letting others’ negative assessments of us bring us down, where should we focus our energies instead (vv. 12-14)?
  3. Though we avoid placing too much importance on this, in what way is a leader to care about what others think (vv. 15-16)?

Notes

  1. We cannot control what others think of us, but we do have control over how much we let it affect us.  Sometimes we need to reject others’ evaluations of us, especially if they are unhelpful and holding us back from doing what we are called to do by God.  
  2. Having the kind of speech, behavior, love, faith and purity that others would find exemplary, i.e., want to imitate.  We should focus on doing these things rather than thinking too much about how others may not be respecting us. It may even win over those who are initially skeptical of us.
  3. It can be a kind of accountability.  We will avoid laziness and work hard if we know people should be able to see visible progress in the developing of our gifts.  Knowing that people are affected both by how we live our lives and what we teach, we conduct ourselves in these areas carefully.

Evening Reflection

Did anyone look down on me today?  Did it have the power to affect me or was I able to brush it off and rise above?  Did I look down on anyone else today?  If so, reflect on why and ask God to deal with the related issues of your heart.