NEW The AMI QT Devotional for today is provided Joe Suh who serves as a pastor intern at the Church of Southland (Anaheim, California).   

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Love Your Neighbor”

Mark 12:30-31

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

This pandemic has been an interesting time for everyone.  Life as we know it has changed and we are in unfamiliar territory as it comes to living life as we have lived it.  One thing that has not changed and in fact has become an even bigger problem for many is the need for basic necessities.  

As the pandemic has continued and the loss of jobs has become more and more of a reality for many, the struggle even to meet the basic needs of the family has become an issue.  And one of those needs is a major need . . . food.

Recently, at Southland, we have started a food pantry for our local community.  The demographic surrounding our church is a group that absent the current situation would not be struggling with these basic needs.  The food pantry has been an amazing opportunity to bless our local community by providing for their physical needs, but more importantly it has been a time to also bless them with prayer and sharing the gospel.

Interestingly, as a church, this time of serving those around us has actually been an even bigger blessing for us.  It is such a great thing to be used by God to bless others.  The time sacrifice is a few hours every other Saturday, but to be used by God to change someone’s life is priceless.  The time to love one another is now and to do so is what God called us all to do.

Mark 12 reminds us of the greatest commandment and the second great commandment.  Focusing on the second, loving your neighbor as you love yourself, is not always on our priority list.  Admittedly, life is very busy.  I would say even more so now.  We all have our own things to take care of; we all have our own needs to meet; and we have our own issues to deal with.   

But Jesus commands us to love our neighbors.  Who are our neighbors?  The answer is everyone.  We are called to be a neighbor to everyone, and it starts with us being a good neighbor.  This means that we don’t wait to receive from them first; instead, we give love in all the ways that we can.  We are to love them as we love ourselves.  In order to love others, we have to love God first.  In loving God we truly learn what it is to loves others.  So what we receive, we should also give—as “the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us the way you do.  Continue to teach us what it is to love You and also love our neighbors.  Especially in a time like now, I pray that each of us would go beyond what we normally would do and take the opportunities given to be a loving brother or sister in Christ. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 17

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Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 13:8-10 (NASB): Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Questions to Consider

1. What do we have to do in order to fulfill the law?
2. How does loving your neighbor summarize the law?
3. In what ways can you express your love to others around you?  

Notes

1. We have to love our neighbors. (v. 8) Love is an amazing thing. We are reminded to owe no debts except to love one another. God loves each and every one of us.  How do we know that He loves us?  He sent His son to die for each of us.  To love our neighbors fulfills the law because we can do no wrong by loving. (v. 10)
2. By loving your neighbor as you love yourself would inherently imply that you would not murder, steal, covet or commit adultery.  (v. 9) This summarizes the law because everything would become moot by loving your neighbor as you love yourself.
3. Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

Did I have any opportunities to love my neighbors?  Was I paying attention to what God may have been nudging on my heart to do.  Take some time this evening to think back through your day and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any opportunities that you may have missed to be a blessing and pour out love on another person.  Pray for boldness to take action the next time the opportunity presents itself.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Yohan Lee, a friend of AMI, was first posted on September 7, 2013.  A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA), Yohan served as a staff at several AMI churches in the past. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Don’t Just Holding Down the Fort”

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17

“Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.”

I had just finished sweeping and mopping the floors, but do you know what happened within two hours?  That’s right, dinner, and really the second worst dinner to have after having cleaned your floors: spaghetti (the worst dinner is Korean/Chinese spaghetti, cha-chang-myun).  Sometimes, I wonder if cleaning the house is meaningless (or vanity).  I could add a verse to Ecclesiastes, “I toil for hours to clean my house and within minutes rowdy children come and mess it up; this too is meaningless.”  

But as I looked at all the tomato sauce stains covering an otherwise spotless floor, the realization hit me: in the Christian life, you often have to fight battles that cannot possibly be won.  If you are unwilling to do this, then you will probably not do any good either.  For example, do you think that Christians (or anyone else) will be able to end poverty, abuse, sex-trafficking, or any of many ills of society?  No, because in this world, there will always be evil people doing evil deeds.  But nonetheless, we are called to preach the good news, free the prisoners, recover sight for the blind, etc. (Luke 4:18).  

We, as followers of Christ, must not mistake a falling and corrupting society for no progress whatsoever.  On the macro-level, I would agree that our world is getting worse, but on the micro-level, people are being saved, slaves are being freed, people are turning to Christ, and the kingdom is advancing.  The work of Christians does indeed matter to the lives that are being touched by them.  So to complete the earlier thought, sure my house may feel gross after the kids spill sauce, but how much worse would it be if I totally gave up cleaning?  What would our world look like if God’s people stopped trying to “hold down the fort” until he returned? 

Truthfully, Ecclesiastes is a difficult book to teach from because it strikes a chord with how most of us have felt at one time or another: “What is the point?”  Yes, as this passage points out, there is wickedness all around, but do you believe that God put you here for a purpose?  What is that purpose?  One day, as Christ returns to make things right, will he reward you for winning a battle that could not be won?  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me not to give up being an instrument of Your righteousness in this sin-tainted world. When I feel discouraged by how much more left to do, remind me that all things are under Your control.  Thank You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 16

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston, was first posted on April 20, 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 5:16-17

“Be joyful always; ¹⁷ pray continually.” 

I confess that this has been a difficult week to be “joyful always”.  The events of this past Monday (Boston Marathon bombing) have left many of my friends, brothers and sisters in Christ confused and dismayed.  How does one find joy in the midst of tragedy?  The reality of course is that even when personal circumstances make joy easier, there is still brokenness and pain all around us of which we are unaware of.  Yet, Paul commands us to be joyful in every circumstance.  

Why?  Because God is still the same!  In every circumstance, the cross still stands for us.  In every circumstance, there is the promise of salvation and redemption.  In every circumstance, we have God with us, and the power which raised Christ from the grave within us (the Holy Spirit).  God’s kingdom will come; His will be done on earth just as it is done in heaven.  Biblical joy cannot be dependent upon the absence of pain and suffering because there is always pain and suffering around us, BUT one day that will not be the case!

And so we discipline our hearts and minds to be joyful in each and every circumstance (and it is a discipline because this isn’t natural to us) by focusing not on the circumstances alone, but on God!  And this is where the discipline of prayer comes in.  Without continual prayer, there cannot be continual joy.  Only through prayer – through our conscious focusing on the person of God, through directing our thoughts upon and toward him – will our hearts recognize the joyful reality of who God is.  

It is not an accident that the most prayerful Christians I know are also the most joyful.  We can think of prayer of being a fruit of joy.  It is true that when we are joyful, our hearts are more inclined to turn toward God.  But it is just as true that when we are prayerful, we recognize all the reasons we have for joy.  

By the way, today we are reading 2 Chronicles 14-15 as part of our daily readings.  Let us read this portion of Scripture prayerfully and joyfully! 

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You forgive my sins anew every morning.  I thank You that the blood of Jesus covers every one of my sins.  Therefore, I rejoice.  Help me to live this day in the freedom that comes from being forgiven and in a right relationship with you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 14-15

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Matt Ro who formerly pastored Journey Church in Atlanta, is an updated version of his blog originally posted on May 17, 2013.  Matt is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BS) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Psalm 60:1-5, 9-12 (ESV)

O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us. 2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open; repair its breaches, for it totters. 3 You have made your people see hard things; you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger. 4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you, that they may flee to it from the bow.  Selah 5 That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer us! 9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom? 10 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go forth, O God, with our armies. 11 Oh, grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man! 12 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.

How do you view God?  The degree to which you depend on the Lord is determined by the level of your confidence in His ability to deliver.  When the level is low, you aren’t going to seek His help as often and fervently as you would when the confidence level is high.  We readily see that in today’s psalm.  

Psalm 60 was written while David was on his military campaign after his general Joab had been dispatched earlier.  Since the final victory had not yet been obtained, in v. 19, David is thinking about the final triumph, “Who will bring me to the fortified city?  Who will lead me to Edom?”  

We learn two spiritual lessons in this psalm: first, only God can give victory.  Not only were the cities in Edom well-fortified with narrow passageways and cliffs, but even if the passageway could be breached, the defenders could retreat into the mountains surrounding the hidden inner valley and defend themselves from there.  Only God could give victory over a fortress like that, and David knew it. So he cries to God, acknowledging, “for vain is the salvation of man.”  

Second, we must ask God for victory.  In the final stanza, David asks for victory and anticipates God’s positive answer by saying, “With God, we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.”  Thus, the psalm closes on a strong note of confidence, rooted in faith and claiming the promises of God.  We ask ourselves: “Are there fights in our lives that we need God to fight on our behalf?  Have you asked God for help?”  The book of James teaches us, “You do not have because you do not ask God.”  (James 4:2)

Prayer:  Father, You are my strength and my shield.  There is nothing that is impossible for You.  Teach me to trust in You with greater confidence and I will wait patiently for Your help.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 13

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV): And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ . . .

Questions to Consider

1. What are the five different types of individuals who have the responsibility to “equip the saints for the work of ministry?”
2. Usually, we expect pastors to build up the church, but biblically who should be building the church?
3. What does that mean for you?

Notes

1. There are five ministry gifts mentioned in v. 11.  Four of them serve as ministries while one (apostle) serves more as an office. An apostle is a person who walks in and out of all the ministry gift functions according to need. Generally, these are God’s generals in the body of Christ who function as leaders over other ministry gift leaders in the local church.  They often serve as church-planters or “pastor of pastors/church.”  Apostles are great visionary leaders on the cutting edge of what God wants to do to reach their sphere of influence.  Prophets are people who bring God to the people.  They are usually endowed with gifts of exhortation, bringing revelation from the Holy Spirit in ways that can reveal or build up the condition of the church and culture.  Often, prophets move in the revelatory gifts of prophecy and interpretation of tongues.  Evangelists have a great burden for the lost and for outreach.  They are able to communicate the gospel clearly and have an anointing for leading people to Christ.  In the NT, evangelists regularly moved in signs and wonder to confirm the gospel to unbelievers.  Pastors have a nurturing anointing to care for the members of the church.  They are more concerned with in-reach than outreach.  They love being with people and are motivated more by love (quality) than numbers (quantity).  They have a burden to counsel, encourage, shepherd, and even teach.  Teachers have a deep yearning to study and teach the Word of God.  
2. God calls each person into the ministry.  Though you may not hold the formal church title of “Children’s Minister” or “Worship leader” or be called to be a Pastor or Teacher, you are still called, by God, to minister to people.  The pastors and leaders of the church are charged with making sure believers are active in the work of ministry.  Through the centuries, the church gradually grew away from the simple system that made it such a powerful and impelling influence upon society in its early years, and there came in gradually a terrible distortion from which we are still suffering today.  The church became identified with buildings, great massive cathedrals, and imposing structures, and these were referred to as the church.  The popular thinking fastened upon the idea of the building as the identifying symbol of the church, instead of the people.  Along with that idea came a gradual transfer of responsibility from the people to the clergy to do the work of the ministry.  Soon Christianity became a spectator sport, like a crowd cheering on a boxer or a football player on the field.  God calls each of us into the ministry of the church.
3. How can you find your gift?  The answer is, you find spiritual gifts just as you find natural talents. Usually, you are attracted by seeing certain people exercising a gift, and that draws you to them.  Then you may try exercising a certain gift or gifts. You soon discover you do not have a gift for some things at all.  With others, you say to yourself, “Perhaps I can do this.”  You enjoy some activities more than others, and this is a possible indication.  What you enjoy doing is usually what God gives you the privilege of doing, for the exercise of spiritual gifts bring inner joy and people take great pleasure in exercising these gifts.  One important indication that you have a certain gift is if others recognize the gift in you and encourage you to use it.  It is important that others recognize your gift.

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Evening Reflection

Begin to ask yourself what are some things that you enjoy doing.  What gifts do others recognize in you?  To what extent are you exercising your gifts in the local church?   Does it come from a heart of duty or delight?  Jot down come convictions that you have in regard to serving as a minister of the church.

Prayer:  Father, thank You for the magnificent plan and program for this world to be helped, changed, and delivered.  God, help me to see the excitement and the challenge of using my gift.  Amen.

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S.F., was originally posted on September 4, 2014; it has been updated. Mark is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“The Cure for Entitled Hedonism”

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 (ESV)

I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But behold, this also was vanity. 2 I said of laughter, “It is mad,” and of pleasure, “What use is it?” 3 I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life. 4 I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. 5 I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. 7 I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. 8 I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. 9 So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. 11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun. 

After winning his third Super Bowl in 2005, Tom Brady was interviewed on “60 minutes”; and this man, who seemingly has everything in life – fame, money, women, good looks, etc. – gave this perplexing answer about his own life:  “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me?  I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what is.’  I reached my goal, my dream, my life.  Me, I think, ‘…It’s got to be more than this’”  (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdcJSsRfL8s).  Now that Brady has won three more Super Bowl rings since that time, you wonder whether he feels any differently? 

The perplexity that Brady felt actually sheds light on what life in America has truly become: “entitled hedonism” in which we believe that a life of increasing pleasure is simply the reward for all of our hard work.  However, the paradox is that we are not any happier than people of past generations.  Philip Ryken rightfully points out that the average American has a better selection of food, wine, entertainment, music, and means of sexual satisfaction than Solomon could have dreamed of.  We overload our senses with every imaginable pleasure and justify it because of our strenuous work schedule.  

Yet how many of us are truly happy and fulfilled? An increasing number of us struggle with anxiety, depression, and other stress related issues, but we are afraid to ask, “What is this all for?” because deep in our hearts, we know that it’s madness to continue down this path.  And the prolonged social distancing prompted by COVID-19 has only exacerbated this problem.      

For all of Solomon’s worldly wisdom, he couldn’t figure out the solution to this vexing paradox that eluded him until it was nearly too late.  In fact, the most obvious answer, which is to abstain from pleasure, still falls short of being a viable solution.  The reason can be found in the heart of God who isn’t the eternal killjoy, but the Creator of everything that was meant to give us pleasure.  And it is here where we can begin to find a way out of this paradox.  Pleasure was never meant to be enjoyed merely for one’s self-indulgence but to be shared with others, to serve them, and to bring glory to God.  Pleasure for pleasure sake eventually becomes nothing but grief because it increases our selfishness.  But when we realize that all the pleasures of life are a gift from God and not simply a reward for our hard work, we can finally shed our “entitled hedonism” and come to enjoy life as God intended.  

Prayer: (In writing this devotion, I found that reflecting on the fact that God, my Father, created this world for my eternal enjoyment was meaningful.  I encourage you to spend some time in worship this morning, perhaps even listen and watch the following song on www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEBmj7JO_Os.)  

Father, it is amazing to think that everything You created, You did so to share with us, Your children.  Forgive us for being so selfish with the gifts that You have given so freely and lavishly.  Teach us how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life and to live with heaven in our eyes.  In the name of your precious Son, we pray.  Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 12

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Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (ESV): But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 

Questions to Consider 

1. What does Paul cite as the reason for the times of difficulty in the last days?   
2. What does it mean to have an appearance of godliness but deny its power?
3. How can we avoid falling into this trap?  

Notes

1. Paul is specifically citing corruption in the church as the main source of our difficulties in the last days. We would expect non-believers to be selfish and lovers of pleasure, but when those same problems enter into the church, we lose our credibility and witness in the world.   When the center of our lives shifts to ourselves, we allow a host of sins to enter in.   
2. The danger of heterodoxy is that it can continue to have a religious exterior, but at its core there is no power.  On the surface, many things look like Christianity, but when you take a closer look, the power of the cross is no longer the foundation.  An example of this is the Prosperity Gospel that teaches that every Christian should be wealthy and focuses on the material blessings of God. 
3. For the believer, the best way to avoid this trap is a conviction of the truth.  In the armor of God, we see that the first piece of our defense is the belt of truth.  

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Evening Reflection

Take time to reflect on the following anonymous words of devotion from Kent Hughes’ book, Set Apart: Calling a Worldly Church to a Godly Life.  

“I do not know when I have had happier times in my soul than when I have been sitting at work, with nothing before me but a candle and a white cloth, and hearing no sound but that of my own breath, with God in my soul and heaven in my eye. I rejoice in being exactly what I am — a creature capable of loving God, and who, as long as God lives, must be happy. I get up and look a while out the window. I gaze at the moon and stars, the work of an Almighty Hand. I think of the grandeur of the universe and then sit down and think myself one of the happiest beings in it.” 

Did you take time to enjoy God today?  Are you content in who God has made you to be?  Write down your own words of thanksgiving.  

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on June 26, 2014.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“That Nagging Problem of Sin”

1 Timothy 5:24-25

“The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them, in the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden.”

No one likes to be confronted with sin. As a young man in college, an older brother in the Lord confronted me about my lousy attitude and my lack of humility. I remember even arguing with him that I was more teachable and humbler than he was. How foolish are the ways of a young man! But fortunately, I’m not that same young man, and in retrospect, I realize those things were true of me. One way to know whether you are growing in the Lord is when you become aware of the hidden things that God brings to light. 

This is what Paul is essentially telling the Ephesian congregation, echoing what Jesus said: “What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs” (Luke 12:3). Everybody is going to see our deeds, for God has a way of taking hidden sins and bringing them to light. We think we can hide our sins, but we can’t.  

The sins of some people are conspicuous, and it is obvious that they are heading for God’s judgment. But according to the apostle Paul, they are not the only kind of sins. Some people are skillful at hiding their sins: They appear to be very devoted, committed people, but there is terrible evil in their hearts all the time. However, as the saying goes, “Time will tell.” In fact, the closer you get these people, the more obvious their evil will become.

Paul says that this works in reverse also. The good deeds that we do cannot be hidden, for eventually they will be revealed, and people will know and be blessed because of our good works. God, in His perfect timing, will reveal all good deeds, whether here or on the other side of eternity. 

Are there any sins which you are hiding from the world? Maybe even from yourself? Know that all sins will be exposed. But the sins which the Lord expunges with Christ’s blood will not found any more. Take some today to examine your heart and confess your sins: It’s basic to our faith. And if you are doing good deeds, but don’t feel like anyone notices, continue to do them because God is honored and his honor will soon be revealed. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and for Your church, for You have envisioned it to be the perfect bride of Christ to the perfect Lamb of God. Thank You that You love us enough to speak words of discipline. Help me to be a person who willingly obeys You, and who walks in the power of your Spirit.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:2 Chronicles 11

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Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 5:1-11: But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, [2] and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. [3] But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? [4] While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” [5] When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. [6] The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. [7] After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. [8] And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” [9] But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” [10] Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. [11] And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

Questions to Consider 

1. The positive picture of the community’s willingness to share is marred by this couple who lied about their giving. Why was this a grievous sin? 
2. According to verse 3, who is the instigator behind the couple’s deed, “filling” their hearts with deception? 
3. Consider how well you are doing with being truthful to people. Do you at times find yourself telling little lies or even big ones, thinking no one will find out?  

Notes 

1. The context is important: The Spirit was closely aligned to the unity of the fellowship manifested in their sharing. Ananias and Sapphira abused the fellowship through their deception and thereby threatened its unity.   
2. Satan. And when we lie, we are acting consistently with Satan. 
3. We often speak untruthful words to depict a certain reality about things. We need to confess that we are all capable of lying and that we need to guard our hearts from Satan’s ploys.  

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Evening Reflection

Would you consider yourself to be a person who speaks truthfully to all people, at all times? Do you feel that you are honest at work? Do you have a tendency to hide things, maybe not speaking the truth when it inconveniences you? 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on May 19, 2014.  Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Give Yourself Too Much Credit”

Titus 3:3

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

Do you ever read a passage like this in the Bible and think to yourself, “C’mon God, I wasn’t that bad, was I?” While it’s easy for us to point our fingers towards Cain, Korah, King Saul, Nabal, Jezebel, and all of the Assyrian army, we’d like to give ourselves a little more credit than what  this passage describes. 

We often become critical of others and see faults rather easily in the Cains and the King Sauls around us. All the while, we neglect to see our own brokenness and sins. We insinuate that while others are gossiping, we’re only “sharing” pertinent information; others are hoarders, but I’m a saver; others struggle with fears that immobilize them from making decisions, while I’m merely waiting on the Lord. Why do our motives seem so pure while others seem so sinful?  

Jeremiah says, “The heart is deceitful above all else.” Adding insult to injury, the Devil, the “father of lies,” takes our deceitful hearts and masterfully complements that with his own set of lies so that we remain in a dangerous place of self-deception. Inevitably, that leads us towards self-righteousness. The last time that Jesus had a taste of a self-righteous group of believers, he said that he was about to “spit” them out of his mouth (Rev. 3:14-22). The Greek word “spit” depicts someone having a gag-reflex. Self- righteousness must have been very disgusting to Jesus. 

Some of us may have grown up with proper manners and good outward behaviors towards others. Good.  However, we know that our hearts were far from the glory of God. All of us came to Christ with our hearts full of foolishness, disobedience, deception, enslavement to all kinds of sinful passions and pleasures, malice, envy, pride, and hatred. But now Christ has fused His Spirit into our hearts so that His grace and power are at work transforming us into the image of Jesus Himself. Let’s stop looking at others; instead, let’s agree that we, too, struggle with our sin and brokenness and are in deep need of Christ’s grace each day. 

Prayer: Dear God, Your word says that You oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. Grant to me your grace, for I confess my need for You in my struggle with my personal sins. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 10

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Luke 7:36-47 (NIV): When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Questions to Consider

1. What does Simon, the Pharisee, fail to do to Jesus who was the guest at his table?
2. What does Jesus’ parable reveal about the reality of the relationship between forgiveness and love? 
3. As you are getting older as a Christian, are you becoming more aware of your personal brokenness and sin tendencies which lead you to appreciate God’s grace more deeply?  

Notes

1. Simon fails to provide any water to wash Jesus’ hands/feet; he fails to greet the teacher with a kiss; and he fails to provide olive oil to refresh his guest. These weren’t subtle mistakes that Simon overlooked, but was a passive aggressive behavior at its best. To extend an invitation, only to deliberately slap Jesus in the face. Maybe Simon wanted to put Jesus in His place or was kind of afraid of being too closely associated with Jesus.  
2. Jesus concludes that the woman has shown great love, and she understands her many sins have been forgiven. Jesus communicates to Simon that he has yet to be aware of his own sins and need for a Savior. 
3. Personal response

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Evening Reflection

The Gospel of Jesus Christ deals, first and foremost, with our sins rather than our needs. Yes, God is our Provider and promises to meet our needs. However, the Gospel asks us, “Jesus is Lord – what are you going to do about your sins?” Spend time confessing your sins and allow the Lord to purify you from all unrighteousness.   

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on May 13, 2014.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Meaning of Work”

Titus 2:9-10

“Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, [10] and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” 

“What is the chief end of man?  To glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

~ paraphrased from the Westminster Shorter Catechism

When it comes to the workplace, every believer has two jobs:  One is to do the work for which we were hired by our human bosses; and the other is to fulfill the purpose for which we were created and placed on this earth by our eternal master, God himself.  Of the two, which would you say is more important?

Though both are important, there is a hierarchy.  The most important is to fulfill our main purpose for existing – to glorify God, yet being good and faithful workers is also important because it helps us achieve our higher purpose.  As Paul notes above, when believers are good employees, they make God look good (i.e., bring him glory).

To open someone’s heart to the gospel is never an easy task; all the harder when that person is in a position above us.  With co-workers, there is the similar challenge that one has with family – those who see us at work every day see us at both our best and worst – but with our bosses, there is the added obstacle of being at different levels socially.

Yet in our passage for today, slaves are encouraged to have the vision that they could make the gospel attractive to their masters.  By their work ethic, respectful attitudes and integrity, they could have the power to influence those above them, even seeing their masters become attracted to the message of the gospel.  Do we have that kind of vision today?  Or have we written off our bosses, removed them from the list of people we thought we could influence for Christ?

Also, glorifying God in our work contexts is not just limited to how faithfully we do our work.  Sometimes we glorify God most by the joy that we have in him.  What kind of person are we at work?  Always cranky, tired, or complaining?  Or full of joy and purpose?  When others see us, is there a brightness in our spirits that attracts them?  Or would they come to the conclusion that the love of God in a person’s life doesn’t seem to be doing all that much for them?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, let me experience more of Your love this day, that I might be filled with the joy of knowing You.  May my glorifying You not be a chore but a natural outflow of all I receive from You.  May I make You attractive today not just by my attitude at work, but also by my attitude towards life.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:2 Chronicles 9

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-14: “What do workers gain from their toil? [10] I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. [11] He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. [12] I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. [13] That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. [14] I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

Questions to Consider

1. How does verse 13 answer the question raised in verse 9?  What do people get out of work?
2. In addition to work, what is the other main topic of this passage (vv. 11, 14)?  Why do you think the writer discusses these two subjects together (v. 12)?
3. Are you happy and enjoying your work?  Are you able to see your work in light of an eternal perspective?

Notes

1. In addition to daily provision, there is the satisfaction of a job well done.  This is God’s design in giving us work, and the satisfaction we get out of work is a gift from him.
2. The topics of eternity and the work we do in our lifetimes are juxtaposed to give us a sense of perspective.  Temporary things, like our work, can be beautiful in the time they exist (v. 11) and therefore do have value, but there is more to our existence than just this lifetime.
3. It is good to enjoy our work, and if we are not enjoying it right now, we can ask God for this gift of satisfaction.  At the same time, we cannot take our work too seriously, or let it become more important than the kind of work God does that lasts forever.

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Evening Reflection

Did I have a good day at work today?  Was I able to find satisfaction and joy in a job well done?  Did I glorify God today?  Was my attitude towards work or life attractive to others today?

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves as Fenway Site Pastor at Symphony Church in Boston, was first posted on September 27, 2014.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Lay Down Things Too Great and Too Marvelous for Me”  

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (ESV)

 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

It’s fun to talk with children at a certain age when they keep asking questions such as: “Why is the sky blue?”; “Why do we go this way?”; “Where do babies come from?”  But after a while, of course, it’s annoying taking on question after question, and we end up replying with, “BECAUSE!”  

Ecclesiastes is a book that keeps asking questions:  Why do we work?  What is wisdom?  What is joy?  What is the meaning of life?  But as Solomon is bringing this book of questioning to a close, he comes to this conclusion:  We “do not know the work of God who makes everything.”  Solomon is resigned to this fact that God is God, and we are not.

This can be difficult for us to accept.  In our day, science has made incredible advances and seemingly gives us answers to everything.  When we have questions about anything or need advice on a project, we just go to Google and Wikipedia, and we find our answers instantly.  But when it comes to the things of God, we have our questions such as: why this has happened; how something will come to be; or when we will we know; but we won’t always get answers to all of our questions.  

David, in Psalm 131, says, “I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.  But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”  The weaned child is still and content, because he has been satisfied by solid food, knowing that his parents will take care of him and provide for him. 

And in the same way, David tells us that he can lay down his questions and desires to understand the great and marvelous things of God, because he knows he can trust in God and is satisfied by his presence.  Let us lay down our questions and our need to understand why, and let us be like the weaned child who trusts that our heavenly Father is in control.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being my Father and for Your love and care for me.  I confess that I have questions and desires to understand that I need to lay down for You.  Lord, I surrender it all to You because I know that You are in control and that Your presence is enough.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 8

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, written by Pastor Sam Lee who leads Catalyst Agape Church in Northern New Jersey, was first posted on October 29, 2013.  He is a graduate of University of Wisconsin (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Blessings of Remembering” 

Psalm 7:11-12 (NIV)

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

My daughter has a habit of keeping things that are associated with pleasant memories, such as birthday cards, notes, and letters. Some time ago, my family and I went to Honduras for three weeks during the summer.  My daughter made many friends there and when it was time to leave, they gave her many small gifts and notes, and even now, she treasures them. As for my wife and I, when we left a ministry, we had received a jar filled with personal notes, but after reading them, we tosses out the notes and kept the jar.  Upon seeing this, my daughter looked at us in shock as if she were saying, “How can you throw away such precious things?”

There is great value in remembering what the Lord has done in our past, especially during our dark and rainy seasons in life, for it brings us hope that He will come through for us with even greater works.  One reason people turn away from God and go astray is that they forget the great things the Lord had done for them; even those of us who have walked with God for a long time tend to be nearsighted. More than often, we tend to forget the good that God has done but dwell on our bad situation and complain to God rather than giving thanks.

No sooner had Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to Baal. They set up Baal-Berith as their god and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side (Judges 8:33, 34 NIV). We see this pattern repeated in the Bible as people apostatize over and over.

But as for God, He remembers all the good things we try to do and forget the sins we repented of, for God is love and keeps no record of wrongs. Of course we should not live by just dwelling on the past glory of God as though that was the greatest thing He ever did, but as we remember all His great works, it should give us greater faith to expect even greater things from Him.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You know my going in and my going out. You know my innermost thoughts. Sovereign Lord, You, in Your infinite grace and mercy, always remember the somewhat good and forget the bad I have done.  Thank You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Chronicles 6-7