September 19, Friday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on September 19, 2019.  Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Truly Human”

Genesis 1:26-28

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Yesterday, we talked about how, as humans, we exist as worship to God. As God’s image, we are objects of worship in the temple of God’s creation. But in the passage in Genesis 1, after God proclaims humankind as His image bearers, He gives them a follow-up command. He says to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Subdue the earth and have dominion over it. Basically, as the image of God, we are called to rule God’s creation in His place. Being human, then, means firstly existing as worship and, secondly, means ruling over God’s creation. But what does that look like?

The Bible actually speaks quite frequently about how people ought to rule. These passages often speak of kings in the line of David, which ultimately points to Jesus as the true king. But, remember, Jesus is the true human and we learn what it means to be human by looking at Jesus. So, if Jesus modeled certain royal attributes, we as humans should seek to follow suit. We were created to rule and Jesus shows us how.

When you read passages about kingship in the Bible, there are two words that often stand out: righteousness and justice. For example, we read in Psalm 72:1-2, “Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!” Similarly, in Isaiah 16:5 we read, “Then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness.” In God’s eyes, a true ruler would seek righteousness and justice. Being human, as rulers of creation, we ought to likewise seek righteousness and justice. This is what Jesus did – He promoted righteousness (i.e. people being made right with God) and promoted justice (i.e. the availability of healing and wholeness for all people).

What this means is that doing justice and seeking wholeness in our communities is not just something for the “justice-minded” people to think and care about. To be truly human means to truly care about righteousness and justice, to care about communities being healed and systems being promoted that contribute to flourishing for, not just humans, but all of creation. Being human means desiring to see God’s will being done on earth as it is done in heaven. This is what Jesus did. This is what it means to rule over God’s creation in His image. Just as not living as worship is to be subhuman, to not care about righteousness and justice is likewise subhuman.

Today, invite God to show you how to rule with righteousness and justice. See the world with God’s eyes and see the hope of justice and healing, a justice that could even come through you.

Prayer: Lord, teach us to be truly human. May we seek to be bringers of righteousness and justice to this world. There is so much brokenness around us – may our response not be hopelessness, but rather hopefulness. We are Your image and so we can do justice – here and now. May Your Spirit empower us to do this.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 13

Lunch Break Study  

Read Micah 6:6-8: “With what shall I come before the Lord,and bow myself before God on high?Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,

 with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Questions to Consider

  • According to this passage, what does the Lord require of us and what does he not require of us?
  • What do you think it means “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”?
  • In what ways can you do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God today?

Notes

  • The Lord does not require from us empty religion; rather, He requires us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. Now, this does not mean that church does not matter, that anything religious does not matter, and that all that matters is doing good works. There is a both/and here. Religion is empty when it does not seek justice and righteousness, but there is a place for religion, for church, for worship. Remember, worship is primary. But our worship is empty if we are not loving and caring for those around us. Jesus gave us the great commandment, “Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.” Both are necessary.
  • In Micah’s day, when this was written, there was a lot of oppression in the nation of Israel. The rich were exploiting the poor, rulers were corrupt, and worship of the Lord was hollow. The people had gotten so caught up in the routine of religion that they neglected what really mattered. Jesus summed up the law by saying we must love God and love people. That was meant to be primary. To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God is to do just that – to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. 
  • Invite God to show you how you can do this today. Allow His Spirit to guide you.

Evening Reflection

This evening, reflect on what we have talked about as being truly human. We all fall short, that’s why we need God’s help. Invite God to fill you with His Spirit so that you can live out your calling as a human by worshiping and by ruling creation with righteousness and justice.

September 18, Thursday

REPOST Todays’ AMI Quiet Time, originally posted on July 4, 2019, is written by Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Direct Line to God”

Psalm 4:1-3

Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God.  Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. 2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?  How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah 3 Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him.

The truth be told, we often take for granted how God is readily accessible to us (Rom. 5:2); but that’s not something the Israelites in the OT had enjoyed: God was near them but not yet with them. They heard God’s word from the mouth of prophets, but both they and the prophets could never experience “the Spirit himself testify[ing] with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Rom. 8:16).  The adoption into God’s family would become a reality only after the coming of Christ (Jn. 1:12) and the sending of the Holy Spirit into our hearts thereafter, thereby enabling us to hear God’s voice from within—based on Scripture (Jn. 7:39; 2 Cor. 1:22; 1 Cor. 7:29; Acts 17:11).  This is one main reason “many prophets and righteous people [in the OT] longed to see what [we] see, and did not see it, and to hear what [we] hear, and did not hear it” (Mt. 13:17).

This is to say, what David had longed for is a reality to us in Christ, but are we taking advantage of it?  Foremost, if you are still not a believer, you are wasting a golden opportunity to be part of God’s family, along with its many privileges and blessings (and responsibilities to follow). If you are already a believer, then, how is your prayer life? You should really pray, even more now (NT) because we have a direct line to God Himself. Yes, God is waiting for you to call! 

So, what are some activities in your life that seem to sap your desire and energy to pray consistently? Prayerlessness is nothing less than not depending on God.  Anyone who says, “I depend on the Lord” but rarely ever prays is no different than a politician elected on a pro-environment platform who drives a Hummer!  In addition, those who say prayer doesn’t work really haven’t prayed to give it a fair shot, for biblical prayer is not like talking to a waiter; rather it is an unhurried time of intimate dialogue with God and crying out to Him!  And He hears you.  

Considering this, earnestly evaluate your prayer life: What does it say about your dependence on the Lord (Ez. 8:21-3)?  Remember—to add something to our agenda, sometimes we have to make room for it.  To pray or to add more time to our existing prayer life, certain activities may need to be eliminated or reduced.  My suggestion is reducing the time devoted to internet surfing, such as updating your Facebook and/or perusing that of others!  A lot of time is wasted on that activity alone. Pray today.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank You for this privilege of being able to speak to You freely. Help me to draw closer to You because I desperately need You to navigate my life toward where You want me to be.   

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 18:1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Questions to Consider

1. To whom was this parable said?

2. Why was this taught?

3.  In the parable (Lk. 18:2-5), the unjust judge is an antitype of God.  What is Jesus driving at through this literary device (Lk. 18:6-8)?

 Notes

1. Jesus told this to his disciples.

2. Probably foreseeing the future in which his men would encounter persecutions and trials in carrying out the Great Commission (Mt. 10:17-22), Jesus shared this parable to inculcate in them how they should never give up on prayer.

3. Through this anti-type, Jesus’ point is even more clear: even an unjust judge will grant a petition presented daily by a relentless petitioner just to get her off his back. But God is completely opposite from this man in character and affection toward those who would petition Him.  If He is not granting your request at the moment, there is a good reason for it; but in time, He will grant your wish “if we ask anything according to his will” (1 Jn. 5:14b).

Evening Reflection

We began the day reading about David’s crying out to the Lord.  Did anything happen today that would make you do the same?  Did you get to pray today? If not, what kept you from praying? Pray about it. 

September 17, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was originally posted on May 1, 2019.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Another Look at Sabbath”

Exodus 23:10-13 (NIV)

“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, 11 but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove. 12 “Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed. 13 “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

When was in college, shortly after I decided to follow Jesus, I was drawn to the scripture “Be still and know that I am God,” in prayer. I naturally concluded that the best response was for me to sit really still (and be very quiet) during my prayer time.  After some days of living with this scripture and thinking through the idea of what it means to rest in God, I read an alterenate translation that translated “be still” as “stop striving,” and realized the Lord was inviting me to trust God with some anxiety-inducing situations I was facing at the time. Rest is about trust. 

Every year I was in professional ministry, I taught discipleship courses to church leaders. My favorite segment of the course was one on Sabbath. Sabbath – the seventh day (or year) of rest commanded by God in the Ten Commandments – is so much more than a day to sleep or slack off on one’s regular duties. It’s far more about rest – resting in God’s presence and delighting in God’s provision. Through many books on discipleship and spiritual disciplines, I’ve learned that rest is also about delight. Much like God on the seventh day of creation, we cease our work not just to catch our breath (I imagine God didn’t need a breather from creating), but to delight in the work of our hands, our many gifts from God. Through Sabbath, we trust and delight. 

The principle of Sabbath is certainly beneficial for personal wellness and growth. But the observation of this principle by the people of God was also of great benefit to those around them for two reasons: Sabbath creates margin for the needy and refreshment for those in our care. God commanded the Israelites to rest from tending their fields (the primary work in an agrarian society) so that the poor could gather food. God’s people were to organize their lives in such a way that those in need found opportunities to have their needs met. Sabbath was also for the purpose of others finding time for refreshment, particularly for those under one’s care. If we live busy lives, it’s likely our children, natural or spiritual, will too. If we structure our work environments with restless rhythms, those under our charge inherit those rhythms. If we create a society that doesn’t honor rest, the vulnerable among us (e.g. the foreigner) will have the least access to rest and refreshment.  

Honoring the sabbath means leaving margin in our time, talents, treasures so that we (and our resources) are available to be a conduit for God’s blessings to others. It also means choosing life rhythms that allow those in our care and the vulnerable among us to find rest and refreshment in their lives.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 11

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 4:4-9 (NIV):Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Question to Consider

  • What does Paul tell the church at Philippi will enable them to exercise gentleness in their dealings with others? How might this help you do the same? How might this help us to always rejoice in the Lord?
  • What are the recipients of this letter encouraged to do instead of being anxious? What will be the result? How might this approach be useful to you as well? How have you experienced God’s peace in the face of anxiety in your life? 
  • Why is it helpful to focus on that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praise worthy? What can this do for a heart that is facing anxiety-inducing circumstances? Spend some time thinking on such things in your life.

Notes

  • Paul tells the Christ followers in Philippi to remember that “the Lord is near.” This fact would help them to exercise gentleness in their dealings with “all” people. Remembering who God is, what God has done and will do, and that God is always near in every season will enable us to treat others with kindness.
  • Paul tells them to pray (talk to God) and petition (specifically, tell God of their needs and desires) while also giving thanks (acknowledging what is good and expressing gratitude). This will give the believer access to a peace, God’s peace, that the mind cannot produce or even fathom. 
  • Difficult circumstances tend to be all-consuming and the mind is not necessarily wired to remember (in any palpable way) our former experiences of good when we are in the depths of pain, fear, or heartache. When a person disciplines herself to remember the true, good, and beautiful, we overcome that limitation and are able to see beyond our present difficult experience. As we do, we begin to remember (as Timothy Wright and the Chicago Interdenominational Mass Choir sang in the 90’s) that “trouble don’t last always!” 

Evening Reflection

Exodus 23:13: “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.”

In the same breath that God gives commandments regarding Sabbath rest, God also warns against idolatry (or worship of anything other than God). What is the connection between the temptation to dishonor the principle of Sabbath and idolatry? What are the other “gods” in your life that tempt you to overwork or fail to stop and rest? In what ways have you seen a lack of resting in God (trusting, delighting, and caring for others) affect your life and the lives of those in your care? Spend some time reflecting on these things with God. 

September 16, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s Devotional, originally posted on April 16, 2019, is provided by Pastor David Son. David pastors Thrive Church in Taipei, Taiwan. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Slave Forever”

Exodus 21:2-6

When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

In our day, the word “slavery” carries immense baggage. For today, I invite you to lay aside any pre-conceptions of the word in order to understanding more clearly what God might have to say about slavery. Having done that, I want to take us through this passage by highlighting three observations. 

First, at the time of this passage, the Israelites had JUST been redeemed from slavery. Slavery wasn’t a new concept to the Israelites. In fact, a life of slavery was the only life they had known, until God redeemed them from it. 

Second, the FIRST group of people God protects is the slaves. This is the first law that God gives to Israel that specifies a social class. In this context, the slaves were fellow Hebrews who found themselves in such poverty, that they had no other option but to sell themselves as servants. God’s first priority was to protect the rights of such people!

Third, God’s rhetoric about “slavery” is remarkably different than the world’s. God’s rule for slavery actually begins with redemption: “he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.” God is not for slavery. According to Him, all slavery must end with redemption. This is quite contradictory from the world’s understanding of the concept. But that’s not even the most shocking part. Verse 5 describes what would be a nearly inconceivable scenario today: “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.” Who would want to be a slave forever? Why would God include such a strange clause? There is only one scenario in which becoming a slave forever is the most logical choice: when you have a master who is worth serving forever. The Apostle Paul referred to himself as the bond-servant of Christ. This is not to take away from the intimacy that we have with God as sons and daughters, but rather it highlights the worthiness of the Master to be served. 

Are you willing to be a bond-servant of Christ? Are you willing to serve Him, and only Him, forever? The more we focus on our own plans/desires, this becomes an increasingly burdensome question. But when we set our gaze upon who our God is, I believe the answer becomes an increasingly easy one.

Prayer: Father, help us to understand what it means to be a bond-servant to You. Help us to trust that the best place to put our lives is in Your hands. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 6:20-23: For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Questions to Consider

  • In this passage, Paul says that we were once “slaves of sin.” How does he describe our current status?
  • What does Paul say is the difference between being a slave of sin and being a slave of God?

Notes

  • Paul says that we were once “slaves of sin,” but now we are “slaves of God.” Of course, we are much more than merely slaves to God. But we are indeed slaves, in that we are bound to God, and committed to Him for life.
  • Paul highlights one key difference: The fruit of serving sin is death, while the fruit of serving God is sanctification leading to eternal life. Being a slave to sin and being a slave to God is completely different. Nevertheless, we must choose one or the other. We can either serve God… or be a slave to sin.

Evening Reflection

What is driving you? What is the thing that gets you up and out of bed each morning? Whatever it is, this is probably the thing that you are “enslaved” to. That sounds like a harsh way to phrase it. But today we’ve been talking about what it means to serve God. Spend some time tonight reflecting on what/who it is that you are actually serving.

September 15, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 1, 2019, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Spiritual Amnesia No More”

Exodus 17:1-7

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

It’s hard to take these Israelites seriously. God just delivered them from slavery in Egypt – a situation so bad that they found themselves literally “groaning” to God for deliverance. Now here they are, freshly freed – and wanting to go back to Egypt. What gives? All it took was a little bit of desert sand for them to desert their Savior. Yet it is here that we find the human condition, and ourselves consequently – when the going gets tough, the tough go back to Egypt. There’s nothing like hardship to make one forget all of God’s past goodness. The real danger in the desert wasn’t heat stroke – it was spiritual amnesia.

We do the same, do we not? How often we become anxious or fearful when life doesn’t seem to be going our way! And the fact that Christ has already died and risen on our behalf – something the Israelites in the desert had yet to see – only adds to our culpability. So what do we do? We look to Jesus’ example:

Matthew 4:1-4: Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Here we find Jesus, like Israel, in the wilderness. Jesus didn’t spend 40 years in the wilderness – only 40 days – but He fasted the entire time yet did not complain. In that way He was faithful where Israel failed, and truly can serve as our Redeemer. When faced with hunger, rather than complaining or testing God, He simply trusted. Not only that, amazingly we find that Jesus was with the Israelites those 40 years:

1 Corinthians 10:4-5: And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Somehow, the Rock that Moses struck was more than just a rock – it was Christ. And just as the struck Rock poured out life-giving water to a rebellious rabble, so a Christ struck upon the cross poured out His life-giving Spirit to us. So what’s the point? The point is that next time you find yourself in the desert, either wanting to complain or wanting to go back to Egypt, remember that Christ is with you, and that His Spirit can provide for you, no matter the situation. Jesus didn’t complain in the desert and He was struck for our sins so that we can be confident of His Presence in our lives always.

Prayer: Jesus, You were there all along, though the Israelites saw You not. Open my eyes to see You in the midst of my situation. Grant me the faith to know Your Presence, even in the midst of a dry and weary land where there is no water. Nourish me with living water. Satisfy my soul and help me to trust in You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 9

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Hebrews 4:14-16: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Questions to Consider

  • If Jesus never sinned, can He truly empathize?  
  • Why is it important that “he did not sin”?
  • Where do you turn in your “time of need”?  What does this say about where you place your trust? How does Jesus’ ability to “empathize with our weaknesses” encourage you?

Note

1. Jesus can certainly empathize with us without having sinned because: first, Jesus, as the Second Person in the Trinity, is omnipotent; second, sinning is not an integral part of what it means to be a human.  Thus, the fact that Jesus was fully human (without sin) was enough for him to empathize with us.

2. Had Jesus sinned, his death could have atoned for his own sin but for not ours.  But, because Jesus—the perfect lamb of God—didn’t sin, his substitutionary sacrifice on the cross was able to atone for the sins of the world (1 Jn. 2:2).

3. Personal response.

EVENING REFLECTION

How did you do today when faced with adversity? Did you complain? Were you anxious or fearful? Or were you at peace, trusting in God’s presence? Take some time to take inventory of the emotions you felt today.

September 14, Sunday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 19, 2018, is provided by Pastor Barry Kang, the lead pastor of Symphony Church in Boston.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Which Prophet to Believe?”

Jeremiah 29:24-32

To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: 25 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 ‘The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have charge in the house of the Lord over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and neck irons. 27 Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? 28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, “Your exile will be long; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce.” ’ ”  29 Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 31 “Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, 32 therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the Lord, for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord.’ ” 

When we read the Bible, it is fairly easy to discern between the true and false prophets.  In this passage, the true prophet is the one that has a book in the Bible named after him.  But for the people of Judah, whether exiled in Babylon or scatter elsewhere, it must have been more difficult.  Which prophet to believe? 

Shemaiah, one of the so-called prophets in Babylon, was scandalized by Jeremiah’s prophesies.  Shemaiah wrote to Zephaniah the high priest in Jerusalem, asking why he had not imprisoned Jeremiah yet, for in his mind, Jeremiah was the false prophet.  Zephaniah showed Jeremiah this letter, who in turn (at God’s direction) wrote a letter to the exiles in Babylon saying that Shemaiah was in fact the false prophet.  Who to believe?

This is a dilemma we still face today.  When two respected persons of God stand on different sides of an issue, who do you trust?  I would suggest three tests:

First, how does their prophecy/teaching align with Scripture?  The Holy Spirit does not contradict Himself.  The Holy Spirit inspired Scripture and also directs prophecy.  Jeremiah’s prophecies may have been unwelcome news for the exiles, but it aligned with the greater prophetic narrative that God had been telling through different trusted prophets, such as Isaiah.  In Acts 17:11, we see the positive example of the Berean Jews who believed in Paul’s message as they compared it to their examination of Scripture.  If you want to know which prophet to believe, begin with knowing your Bible!

Second, what is their fruit?  In Deuteronomy 18:21-22, God anticipates the question of how to discern between true and false prophets.  He declares: 

And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. (Deut 18:21-22)

If the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken. For the exiles, it would soon become evident which prophet was true or false.  One set of prophets declared that God would bring them out of Babylon within a matter of two years.  Jeremiah stood alone saying that it would be much longer.  Within two years, it would become apparent that Jeremiah was the true prophet.  Sometimes we cannot discern immediately whether a prophet is true or false.  It will take patience

Jesus told us in Matthew 7:15-20 that we would recognize false prophets by their fruit.  Do their words come to pass?  Does their message align with Scripture? Does their character and actions exhibit the Kingdom and gospel values?  Do their prophecies and actions advance the Kingdom of God?

Third, pray.  This is as important for the would-be prophet as well as the hearer.  How do you know that you have heard correctly from the Lord if someone else is speaking the exact opposite message?  We need to pray.  Prophecy is speaking the words that God commands us to speak. In the book of Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came often to Jeremiah.   Unless we are hearing from the Lord, it is not true prophecy.  In the book of Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came often to Jeremiah (e.g. Jeremiah 29:30).  When you hear from God in times of prayer, you will be able to discern between true and false prophecy.

Prayer: Lord, raise up true prophets for our day in every church.  Help us to live in the power and presence of Your Spirit!  We want to hear from You and be used by You to speak to others.    In Jesus’ name, we pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 8

September 13, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought,, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on February  11, 2019. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Meek is Not Weak”

Jeremiah 26:14-15 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 6-7

September 12, Friday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on July 29, 2019, is provided by Pastor Ryun. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Two Things to Which We Have Become Numbed”

Psalm 5:4-7

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.  5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.  6 You destroy those who tell lies; blood-thirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.  7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.

When Lot was warned of God’s impending judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah for “their sin so grievous” (Genesis 18:20, NIV), he urged his sons-in-law to flee: “Get out of this place!” But they “thought he was joking” (Genesis 19:14). Having lived in a sin-saturated culture for so long, they had lost the ability to take the things of God seriously. Tragically, they—along with many others—perished.

Are we any different today? We, too, live in a world saturated with sin—where laws are sometimes framed in ways that could be interpreted as permitting the death of severely ill even after birth (e.g., New York’s Reproductive Health Act of 2019). What next? We’ve grown desensitized. Sin is frequently relabeled to sound clinical or benign, as though it were merely a physiological condition—a disease or syndrome. For instance, some mental health literature refers to infidelity as “hypersexual disorder.”

It’s far easier to embrace the idea of a loving God than to confront the reality of a holy God who hates sin. Yet none of this changes who God is or the holy life He calls us to live (1 Peter 1:15). God doesn’t demand holiness and morality as a prerequisite for acceptance. Instead, He invites us to trust in the finished work of His Son on the cross, which alone redeems us from sin.

You can call sin whatever you want—but that doesn’t change its consequences. Sin wounds, separates us from God eternally, and robs us of joy and purpose. But in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are given the strength to overcome sin. So, what are you struggling with today? Don’t delay. Go to the Lord now. Confess your sins and turn from them.

Even more tragic than being numb to sin is being numb to God’s grace. Sometimes we’re so spiritually dulled that we fail to recognize the blessings we’ve received. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve; mercy is Him withholding the punishment we do deserve.

Reflect: In what ways has the Lord shown you grace and mercy? Confess His goodness in your life—and turn toward Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know that You are a benevolent and kind God who deeply cares about me.  I bring to You my struggles, which I am not able to overcome in my own strength. Please deliver me from them through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 5

Lunch Break Study

Read John 8:3-11 (ESV): The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Questions to Consider

1. Who said this and to whom was this said (Jn. 8:3-6)?

2. Why did Jesus say this, presumably after writing the Law on the ground (James 2:10-11)?

3. Why did Jesus get rid of the hostile leaders before speaking to the woman (Ps. 51:3-4)?

4. Was He being lenient toward sin?  Why did He let her go like this4 (Jn. 5:14; Rom 2:4)?

Notes

1. Jesus said this to the religious leaders who brought a woman caught in adultery to entrap Jesus.

2. Those accusing her acted as if they had never sinned, forgetting that it takes only one sin to make the person a sinner

3. Ultimately, it was none of their business, for she sinned against God, not against them. Also, since they were sinners themselves, they had no right to condemn her.

4. Jesus was showing the way of the New Covenant (NC), established on His perfect sacrifice, by showering her with grace and mercy. The NC is not lenient on sin, for Jesus said to her, “Leave your life of sin” and to the man healed of paralysis, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen.”  But through His kindness, Jesus was leading them to repentance.

Evening Reflection

We began the day dealing with a difficult issue: our struggle with sin.  Were you tempted to sin today?  How did you fare?  Did you sense His presence in overcoming it?  Pray for His guidance and protection over all that will go on tomorrow. 

September 11, Thursday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was originally posted on September 11, 2019.  Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Cultivating Generosity” 

Genesis 2:8-9, 15-18

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil . . . 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” . . . 18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

The single, biggest challenge to cultivating generosity in our lives is the mindset that we do not have enough. When we feel like we do not have enough, that we need more, we start clenching our fists and holding things tightly. Fear creeps in and we try to control the situation. Have you ever felt that way before? I imagine most of us have felt something like that at some point.

If that is our mindset, when someone invites us to give in some way, like how Paul invited the Corinthians to give in our passage from yesterday, we get anxious and defensive. We can quickly justify why now is not the right time. But when our mindset is “not now, later”, “later” will never come. We will always find a reason to delay generosity. A podcast I listened to recently called this a “scarcity-mindset.”

However, God does not desire us to live under the impression of scarcity! In today’s passage, we see the generosity of God in action. He planted a garden for man and then gave to him many and various trees that were “pleasant to the sight” and “good for food.” (v.9) Yes, he did tell him not to eat from one of those trees, but that was probably one tree out of hundreds. God was giving these first humans so much! There was an abundance. And God even showed his generosity by creating another human, specifically Eve. God created life and community. He lavished upon humankind everything they needed. 

The contrarian in us is probably thinking, “Well, that was before the Fall; post-Fall, we do not have this abundance.” Yes, things are different after the Fall. But still, through the whole Bible, we see God promising to His people that if we trust in Him, He will provide for us; we will always have enough. Circumstances might not always be great, but we can trust that God will take care of us. Jesus taught us, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). God’s desire is for us to return to that Eden mindset, where we recognize God as the generous giver who gives us all we need. In order to have that mindset, we need to trust God. 

The mindset that we do not have enough is not a mindset based on circumstances; it’s a mindset based on a lack of trust in our generous God. Our generous God is inviting us into a life of generosity where we can learn to trust him day by day, knowing that He really is the One who will take care of us. So, the next time you think to yourself, “I don’t have enough,” remind yourself that our Father has and will always give us more than enough.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being our generous God. May I never feel lacking in any way. Though circumstances may not always go the way I hope, may I know that You are always in control and You will always provide for me. Help me to trust you more, starting today.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 4

Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 6:31-34:  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Questions to Consider

  • According to this passage, why should we not be anxious?
  • What does it mean to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness?
  • How can you seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness today?

Notes

  • Our “heavenly Father knows that [we] need” to be eat and to be clothed. He knows there are things we need to live. But He is good and lovingly provides them for us. The passage also says to not be anxious about tomorrow but to just focus on one day at a time, trusting that God is with us today. 
  • In the immediate context, this means living out the Sermon on the Mount, which is Jesus’s teaching on what life in the kingdom is all about. At the heart of seeking the Kingdom of God is to live as though God is King. And if God is King, not to mention a good King, He can be trusted. We seek the Kingdom of God by trusting in our good King and living according to His ways.
  • Take time to reflect on how you can do this today!

Evening Reflection

Take time this evening to surrender any way you are being tight-fisted with something. In surrender, ask God for help to trust Him more so that you can live a generous life.

September 10, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on March 16, 2019. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Having the Ear of Heaven”


Exodus 9:29 

“Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord’s.”

Matthew 6:7-8 

“And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” 

During a recent trip overseas, my mom kept asking if I wanted to go into an unfamiliar store to buy some steamed buns for a snack. She suggested it so frequently that I became curious and asked why she was fixated on these buns. Did she want some herself? It was her turn to be confused: “I thought you said you wanted to try them out!” For the life of me, I could not remember saying so. But it’s likely that I did off-handedly, and my mom was so attentive that she logged it into her memory. I don’t like to admit this, but my parents are always listening, and they always remember things I forget I have said. 

While it is clear by this point that Moses and God have a close relationship, Moses’ explanation of ending this plague still seems too simple. He will ask, and the destructive hailstorm will end. Moses knows God is listening, and he knows that once he asks, God will immediately answer. 

Do you know that you also have the ear of Heaven? How our prayers and conversations with Him would change if we truly believed that His ear is always turned towards us and that He is listening! Our prayers and words do not get lost on the way to Heaven along with everyone else’s. He catches every word clearly and is keenly aware of what’s on your heart. 

Today, let’s respond in awareness that God knows all the words we speak. We can pray with simple faith that our God listens to us; we can pray without overcomplicating or making long-winded explanations and propositions. He is our loving Father, and He is listening. May we rest in this security that our Father’s attention is on us. 

Prayer: Father, thank You that You always listen to me. I sometimes come with hesitancy and reluctance, but I want to know that Your ear is always open towards me. Help me to trust and delight in knowing that I have a Father who loves listening. Help me to freely pour out my heart before You today! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 3

Lunch Break Study

Read James 5:13-18: “This Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”

Questions to Consider

  • What are the different forms that prayer can take, and what are the effects?
  • Why would James say that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective?
  • Why does James emphasize that Elijah was human, as we are?

Notes

  • Prayer appears in all contexts: in fearful situations to bring comfort and peace; in joyous occasions to sing to the Lord; in physical sickness to declare God’s power over the physical; and in spiritual sickness to witness God’s redemption and renewal. There is a prayer for every season and every circumstance.
  • The person who is “righteous” – having confessed sins and shortcomings to God and taken on His new life – has been filled by the Spirit. The one who is filled with God’s Spirit prays in alignment with what God desires (and therefore is effective). However, the one filled with God’s Spirit also has greater expectation for what God is able to do; thus the prayers may be more audacious as they require a greater demonstration of who God is, and God will certainly answer requests that glorify His name.
  • We often risk elevating Biblical figures as above-average men and women of faith, but they were like us and had similar sins and flaws. Knowing that Elijah was a man like us should give us confidence and joy that our prayers, too, can come with a demonstration of God’s Spirit!

Evening Reflection

Did you find that your prayers changed when you reminded yourself of God’s listening ear today? I encourage you to think about how to habitually incorporate this and make it a regular aspect in how you meet with God.