UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 4, 2013, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who heads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.  He is a graduate of Drexel University (BS) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Who Really Wants to be Disciplined?  Not Me.

Psalm 94:12-15 (NIV)

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law,
13 to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked. 14 For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; 15 for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Tom Landry, former coach of The Dallas Cowboys, once said, “The job of the football coach is to make men do what they don’t want to do, in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be.” As true as that may be, very few players are particularly fond of their coach when he institutes a grueling three-a-day practice schedule. Likewise, I’ve yet to meet a child who really believes his parents when they say, “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” or “I’m doing this because I love you.”  Come on, who really wants to be disciplined?

Human aversion to discipline is an age-old reality. Even those who choose to endure it are often doing just that—enduring it.  But in Psalm 94, the Psalmist says the disciplined are blessed (or “happy”) because God’s discipline points to his commitment to his people—his unwillingness to abandon us when we are found lacking or out of shape. Sometimes God’s discipline looks like that of a coach—when He pushes us and stretches us to uncomfortable limits to train us to be more like Christ. Other times, discipline is a bit graver when God, as our Father, must rebuke and correct us when we err. Often this comes through God allowing trying circumstances—like the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting our lives—into our lives and sustaining us through them.

Either way, we can rejoice as the Psalmist did in God’s faithfulness to us knowing that no matter how out of shape he finds us or how much we misbehave, his commitment to us is unending and his love for us is demonstrated in his patience to discipline us. With this perspective we can truly experience what Richard Foster dubbed a “celebration of discipline.” Important words to remember as we enter a post COVID-19 world full of uncertainties.  May we come out of it as better human beings and children of God.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for so loving me that You are willing to discipline me to make me better, that is, holier in my actual state.  Thank You also for my permanent standing in Christ in that I am always holy through Your Son. Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 4

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Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:5-13 (NIV): And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Questions to Consider

1. What kinds of things does the writer of Hebrews say we should endure as discipline? What are some things God has used in your life to discipline you?
2. According to the passage, why does God discipline us?
3. What is the end result of divine discipline? Why is this a great source of encouragement?

Are there situations in your life you need to submit to God, welcoming his discipline in anticipation of what it will accomplish? Offer those things to God and ask for His strength to endure.

Notes

1. The writer says that “hardships” should be endured as discipline. Hardship is a broad term that can include just about any situation of difficulty. The important point to remember is the sovereignty of God. He is in control of all things. Therefore, if He allows difficulties of any kind in our lives, it’s because He has a purpose in doing so, and He promises to work it all together for our good.
2. Because He loves us (vs. 6); Because we are His children (vs. 6); So that we may share in his holiness (vs. 10) – to purge us of our sins and purify us to be more like Christ.
3. Righteousness and peace (vs. 11); healing (vs. 13) God’s discipline leads to us being more like Christ – walking in the righteousness and peace He affords us as we are healed from the brokenness of sin.

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Evening Reflection

Proverbs 15:32 tells us that “If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding” (NLT).  While discipline isn’t the most fun thing in the world, it is a means God’s grace. Our loving Father uses the very brokenness we’ve created in our sin to purify us and train us for righteousness. Spend some time thanking God for his faithfulness in the difficult circumstances you may be facing. Acknowledge that He is in control and purifying you through them. Ask Him to grant you understanding as He enables you to endure.

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 16, 2014, is provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles.  He is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Recommended Lifestyle for the Post COVID-19 World”

1 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)

…who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”

It’s no coincidence that some of the most infamous cults in history have forbidden marriages or in the case of David Koresh, that all women belong to him. Most cults have dietary restrictions, not out of common sense or health reasons, but out of desire to be favored by the Lord.

Paul pulls no punches in calling the commands to abstain from marriage or certain foods “the teachings of demons” (v. 1). Why such harsh language? Because the root of avoiding sex in marriage and certain foods for holiness puts the Gospel message in reverse. It is no longer the grace of God that saves and sanctifies us, but it is now my ascetic practices, my self-denial that pleases God. These practices, which in themselves are not wrong, nevertheless become wrong because their motive (that of gaining God’s favor by self-denial) is wrong.

This is a good example of the subtlety by which error begins. When a deviation enters a stream of truth, at the first point of deviation, error looks like truth; it is very hard to see it as error. This is what has misled so many people. They never recognize error until they become engrossed in it.

Here’s the point. There is a distinction between self-denial and denying self. Jesus said, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23). That is denying self. But that is easily confused with self-denial, which says, “I will give up this and that, so I can gain a special favor from God, so I can get something in return.” When our motivation ultimately is to achieve something for ourselves by our actions, we are no longer denying self but practicing self-denial. How subtle the differences are! This is dangerous. This is what Paul cautions us on. Live a life of self-denial! If you deny yourself of anything, do not do it to gain God’s favor, but because it’s a response to God’s favor in your life.

As we all navigate through the aftermath of COVID-19 in which many will live with far less than before, may I offer words of recommendation to those who are left unscathed economically by the pandemic: practice self-denial, that is, avoid ostentatious display of affluence; instead, live the life of modesty and generosity.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that I can enjoy the things You have created. Teach me the difference between self-denial and denying self.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 3

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew16:24-28: Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [25] For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. [26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? [27] For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. [28] Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

Questions to Consider

1. Could you say in light of this passage that you are following Christ?
2. What is the one thing you have tangibly denied to follow Christ today?
3. What is the one thing you have to deny yourself in for the rest of this day? How are you doing with this? Convicted, ambivalent or different?

Notes

1. Following Christ is the death of the self, and the rise of the new self. You can truly say you have come to follow Christ until you have come to the end of yourself.
2. Perhaps you resisted the urge to be right in a petty argument or you gave into your roommate’s preference. Whatever may be the case, dying to self is not a matter of theory, but practice.
3. It’s so easy to read through this famous passage dismissively, but the call to follow Christ is startling and radical. We need to sense its impact anew today.

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Evening Reflection

Before we turn in for the night, ask these questions considering what we examined this morning.  What is the difference between self-denial and denying self? Are we careful not to let subtle religious error lead us into a duplicitous faith apart from Christ’s righteousness?  Were you able to deny yourself today?

Reflect on how you can mark your life with self-denial.

NEW Today’s AMI QT Devotional is prepared by Pastor Jason Sato who is currently serving in Japan as a missionary.  Jason is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning 

“To Reassess and To Shine”

Matthew 5:14–16 (ESV)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

The coronavirus is a disaster in endless ways, yet it is also a unique opportunity for the church on at least two counts: 1) to reassess and 2) to shine.

1. To reassess: In Hearing God in Conversation, Samuel Williamson writes how we ask God, “Should I go right or left?” and His response is “Turn around.”  We ask, “Should I swing at this pitch?” and He says, “Uh…you’re playing soccer.”

In the midst of ordinary life, we can drift unknowingly into the ways and values of this world, and before long we are going down the wrong path or playing the wrong game.  Times of crisis jolt us awake, and they can be opportunities to see and pursue what is actually important. Jesus has always been right:  We cannot love Him and the world, and He invites us to store up our treasures in heaven where thieves and rust, viruses and recessions cannot steal or destroy. 

May each of us come out of these challenging times with smaller longings for the things of this world and greater longings for His glory and the Kingdom than before the crisis.

2. To shine: Most of the time, American Christians do not stand out in any sort of way, but when we do, it’s largely for negative reasons.  In the news, the church is only visible when we’ve condemned someone or our leaders have been involved in an embarrassing scandal.

During a plague in the middle of the third century, 5,000 people were dying every day in the city of Rome alone.  Pagan doctors and religious leaders fled, and families abandoned their own sick.  Yet Christians stayed behind to care for their own ill as well as for their neighbors.  The love they showed to strangers shocked the empire.

Certainly, we have legitimate reasons to worry for those in our inner circles of family and close friends, but especially as lockdowns are lifted and the slow road to recovery begins, we will have unprecedented opportunities to love and serve our neighbors. 

Nearly every community in the world will have been affected and the poor exponentially more so as we are already seeing in inner city communities, slums, and refugee camps around the world.  May we prepare our hearts and churches to love, give, and proclaim the gospel hope in a way that will shock the world.

Prayer: Father, search my heart and take Your rightful place in my life as King.  In this time, as I draw near to You, O Lord, draw near to me.  And please, use Your church to love and draw many who are far off, even enemies of the cross, to know and worship You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 2

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Lunch Break Study 

Read Luke 19:2–10 (ESV): And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” [6] So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. [7] And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” [8] And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.”

Question to Consider 

1. What kind of a man was Zacchaeus?
2. What transformed Zacchaeus?
3. What was the sign of Zacchaeus’s transformation?

Notes

1. He was a tax collector and sinner.
2. The love and welcome of Jesus transformed Zacchaeus from a man who loved money and power to a man who knew that knowing Jesus was most important.
3. Since Zacchaeus was free from his greed, he was free for repentant and radical giving.

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Evening Reflection 

Reflect on your day.  What worries and concerns seemed more important than knowing God?  Ask Jesus to free you from all other loves that compete with Him.

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on August 16, 2014, is provided by Christine Chang who serves at Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia.  Christine is a graduate of University of Virginia (BA) and Harvard University (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

James 1:22 (NIV)

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”

Introduction: There are two ways through which people can access God’s word in general and the gospel in particular.  One way is through reading the Bible and hearing God’s word preached.  The other way is explained by the apostle Paul like this: “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ . . ., written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Cor. 3:2-3). In this blog Christine talks about the latter.

The other day, during my visit to a gastroenterologist, the doctor decided that an adjusted diet would significantly improve my problem.  He, then, proceeded to write down a list of extremely healthy things that I should start eating.  But as the list grew, I noticed that this doctor was incredibly chubby, which caused me to wonder whether he himself maintained a nutritional lifestyle similar to the one he was prescribing (though this was admittedly unfair of me since I wasn’t familiar with his background).

I was then led to the nurses’ office where I sat until they processed some forms.  While waiting, I overheard a conversation between two nurses about an upcoming trip to Disney World that one of them was planning to take.  She said that the highlight of the trip would be ordering “The Kitchen Sink,” an intense dessert that I later discovered to be a thirty-dollar item containing “scoops of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee, and mint chocolate chip smothered in every topping we have.”  Her exact words were, “We’re gonna eat this and get fat, then go back to our hotel room and sleep.”

You would think that of all people, healthcare professionals would take every measure to avoid the problems that are presented to them daily by their patients.  Yet, despite their extensive knowledge about health, they are humans first and medical professionals second—naturally living and enjoying life like the rest of us.  While this account is merely ironic, it’s much more serious when this disconnect between mind and action takes place in a spiritual context.  The Bible warns of “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:5a).

Having grown up as a pastor’s daughter, I memorized countless verses and became familiar with so many biblical truths, but rarely applied them to my life, much like a house built on sand, which Jesus likened to those who hear his words but do not put them into practice” (Matt. 7:26). I often fooled myself into thinking that the knowledge I had about the Christian life affirmed my identity as a Christian, rather than actively living my life in accordance with the gospel and seeking the Lord earnestly each day.

Today, let’s ask the Spirit to convict us if we have become idle in our worship of Christ and as we abide in Jesus, that we would bear fruit by our obedience to Him.  If we are to truly experience joy and peace in life (the abundant life), there must be an active pursuit to know Him, which leads to obeying Him.  After praying for God’s guidance, carry out an action that would please the Lord.  Remember, our lives, “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God” on our hearts, is the letter from Christ read by everyone around us.

Prayer: Lord, motivate us to put into practice what we read in the Bible and hear from the pulpit.  Not that we understand everything, “only let us live up what we have already obtained” (Phil. 3:16).  In the post COVID-19 world, use us to demonstrate the truthfulness of Scripture through our spoken words and the way we live. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 1

UPDATED 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 23, 2013.  He is a graduate of University of Wisconsin (B.A.) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Be Aware of the Devil’s Clever Trick; Don’t Lose Your Mission Over It”

John 4:31-35

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

Introduction: To the extent that going through trials and tribulations increases people’s receptivity toward anything that promises hope, the post COVID-19 world will likely present churches with an unprecedented opportunity to win people to the Lord through the preaching of and living out the gospel.  With that in mind read Pastor Sam’s blog.

This passage, where Jesus talks to the Samaritan woman in John 4, inspires me regarding missions. When Jesus reached out to the Samaritan woman, he broke the boundaries of ethnicity, culture, hatred and conflict, and issues between the male and female sexes. Although his disciples forgot their sense of missions and were more concerned about what they should eat for lunch, Jesus told them, “My food (my mission) is to do the will of Him who sent me to finish His work.”

The disciples probably thought that this was not the time to do missions, especially not in Samaria. So, to them, it was neither the right place nor the right time to reach out; rather, it was time to eat.  And, more than anything else, she was not the right person, not this Samaritan woman, “for”, as John noted, “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans” (Jn. 4:9).

What am I getting at? You know, we are just too smart for the devil to convince us that we shouldn’t make disciples –we will never accept that.  But “we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Cor. 2:11), for what the devil does is to whisper into our ears, saying, “Don’t do it here; don’t do it now; and not that person.”  Yet, if we can’t or won’t make disciples here and now, we will not be able to make disciples in another country, or in the post COVID-19 America that may make us feel as if we are living in a different country.  Be aware of the Devil’s clever trick; don’t lose your mission over it.

In closing, note that as soon as the Samaritan woman put her faith in Jesus, she immediately reached the whole town: “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39).  This is to say, for the Samaritan woman whose life was as broken as yours or that of someone you know, “now” was the right time, the right place, and the right people whose lives were just as broken as hers.  The post-COVID 19 America—full of broken lives—will be the right time and place to preach and live out the good news of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, remind us to start praying for the harvest of lost souls.  Lord, motivate us to desire a life of sowers and reapers of your gospel in the post COVID-19 America.  Seriously!  Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 27-28.

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on May 10, 2013, is written by Pastor Matt Ro who formerly pastored Journey Church in Atlanta.  P. Matt is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BS) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Laying It All Down Before God”

Psalm 54:1-3 (ESV)

O God, save me by your name, and vindicate me by your might.  2 O God hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth.  3 For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life; they do not set God before themselves.

Hardly any Christians would say publicly, “I am not going to bother God with my petty problems when He must be so busy running the universe”—more so now amid the global pandemic.  Nevertheless, we do, at times, feel as if that is true. David, however, was not one of them.

Now, one lesson we see from the psalms is that when David had a problem (granted that the man faced some major troubles), he brought it to God, which is what he does here in vv. 1-3; in other words, he prayed.  But a matter as equally important as praying is whether we are praying in the right way.  As for David, he prayed to the God whom he had come to know by studying the Scriptures and through personal experiences.

First, he appeals to God in the opening verse by saying, “O God, save me by your name.”   We often think of God, but we seldom think about the name of God.  When Moses asked God for His name in Exodus 3 in order to tell the Israelites, God replied, “I AM WHO I AM.”  His absolute sovereignty is in play here.  This means that we have a God with whom all things are possible (Matt. 19:26).  We have a God who hears our prayers (v. 2).  David has confidence that there is nothing that hinders God from hearing us.  In other words, David is praying with the understanding that “whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him’” (Mk. 11:22-23).   This is to say, we need to pray with faith in God “according to His will” (1 Jn. 5:14).  Thus, David, having assurance in God’s willingness and ability to deliver him from all troubles, describes in detail the situation he faces (v. 3):  Ruthless men with no regard for God want to kill him.

As we will soon deal with the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic, tell all your troubles to God in detail.  He already knows, of course, but it will do you good to spell them out.  Mentioning details will remind you that God also knows and cares about them.  Remember that “even the hairs of your head are all numbered” by God (Matt. 10:30).

God’s replies to our requests will come in the form or “yes,” “no,” or “wait”.  Whichever the case may be, we can be assured that God deeply cares for us and that He has our best interests in mind (defined not by the American way of life but God’s kingdom)—even if it doesn’t always appear to be so.  Trust Him.  God is good!

Prayer:  Father, thank you that You are a God who is near, willing, and able to meet me in my distress.  Set me free from the lingering fears that I am going through.  I trust in your power and hold on to you.  I want to “be strong in the strength of your might.”  (Eph. 6:10).

Bible Reading for Today:  Acts 26

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 3:1-6: For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Questions to Consider

1. How do Paul’s words take on a new meaning when you realize that Paul was most likely lying on a cold floor in the dark with an aching body from repeated beatings in prison?
2. What is the “mystery” of which Paul sees himself as a steward?
3. How should Paul’s calling (“a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles”) affect the way that we ought to live today?

Notes

1. Paul’s primary passion is the gospel.  Though he is beset by difficult circumstances, he says in Philippians 1:12, 18, “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”  We see a single-minded passion for the proclamation of the Gospel.
2. The mystery that Paul speaks of is two-fold: first, it refers to the gospel that had been veiled for ages and kept from the Gentiles, but now Paul is called to share it with them; second, it is also a statement of the mystery that when people come to Christ, Jews and Gentiles together are joint heirs, members of one body.  A joint heirship has to do with possessions.  This was a foreign concept that Jew and Gentile are alike in Christ.
3. Why can’t we get along with one another? Why are there so many family breakups? It’s because when we are still living in the old creation, those things are inevitable. But in the realm of the Spirit, the breakthrough has already occurred. When we begin to walk in the Spirit, then we can love, forgive, and begin to reach out to others.  Also, we’re challenged to live our lives in light of our calling to share the Good News with others.  Not as a secondary aspiration on the side, but through our everyday lives as servant of Christ.  We can experience Paul’s explanation and application of the great mystery.

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Evening Reflection

Before you turn in for the night, consider this: How are you living as a steward of the great mystery that has been revealed to you?  Are there opportunities that you are neglecting in the name of living with a day-to-day view in mind?  Ask God to show you (as you journal) the gravity of the revelation of this mystery in your life and what possible ways God may be asking you to live out your calling.

Prayer:  Thank You, Father, for this revealed mystery of which I am a part of through faith in Christ Jesus. Help me to live as a joint heir and partaker of the promise. Amen.

NEW Today’s AMI QT Devotional is prepared by Pastor Jason Sato who is currently serving in Japan as a missionary.  Jason is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

 Devotional Thoughts for This Morning 

“Hidden and Revealed Things”

Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV)

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

As the coronavirus pandemic rages across the globe, many of us are glued to our news feeds.  When I wake up, the first thing I want to do is read the latest articles on BBC or The Mainichi (a Japanese daily).  Throughout the day, I find myself distracted and tempted to check these sites for new updates.  Now the question is, “What exactly am I looking for?”

In the midst of this global crisis, there are so many things we don’t know: We don’t know when the virus will be contained in our community.  We don’t know whether someone we love will contract it.  We don’t know what this will mean for our business or career.  We don’t know how this will affect our children’s education.  And this is frightening.

So we are tempted to seek solace and even peace in information gathering.  Of course, having accurate information is important in a pandemic, but my heart is searching for something that daily counts, and reports of new developments in different countries cannot provide this.

According to Deuteronomy 29:29, there are things that are secret and belong only to the Lord; but there are also “revealed things that belong to us and to our children forever.”  Only these revealed things can free us from fear and anxiety so we can love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves.

Two revealed things that I am taking comfort in are as follows:

1. Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
2. Habakkuk 2:14: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”

Because my Father is sovereign and always working for my good, I can close my web browser and serve the immediate needs of my children and my students.  I can give them more of my attention, care, and prayer than the bare minimum.  Because pandemics and financial crises cannot stop God from saving lost people from every tribe and nation, I can look forward with great expectation, pray with unreasonable boldness, and reach out to people who do not know Him with compassion and hope.

In these very strange and turbulent times, we cannot know, do, or control hardly anything—and thank God, that is not our job.  But since we have a Father who sovereignly orders human history, we are free to focus on the simple things—loving Him and our neighbors well.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that even in these dark times, I do not need to be paralyzed by fear.  There is much in this world that is unstable and uncertain, but Your promises are rock solid.  Grant me grace to entrust the secret things to You and to boldly claim the revealed things. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 25 

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 6:27–30, 33 (ESV): And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? … [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Question to Consider 

1. According to this passage, does anything good come by being anxious?
2. What does Jesus invite us to have faith in?
3. If we are not to concern ourselves with food and clothing, what are we to focus on?

Notes

1. It does no good.  It cannot even add one hour to our lives.
2. Jesus invites us to have faith in the Father’s love.  He who clothes the lilies values us and will provide for us.
3. Since the Father frees us from concerns about food and clothing, we are free to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

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Evening Reflection 

Reflect upon your day.  To what things were you tempted to turn to for comfort and peace other than Jesus?  Take a moment to wait upon the Lord and invite Him to remind you of His love and promises for you.

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), is an updated version of his blog first posted on February 5, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“One Virtue Solely Needed in the Post COVID-19 World”

Psalm 12:5-7

“Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the Lord.  “I will protect them from those who malign them.” 6 And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. 7 O Lord, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.

One virtue solely needed in the post COVID-19 world will be patience because everything that so quickly crumbled to the ground—jobs, small-businesses, lifesavings—will not easily be recovered.  And for those who lost family members or friends to coronavirus, recovering from emotional pain, in whatever degree, may take a long time. Now more than ever before we have a great need to trust God.   

However, what keeps us from trusting God is impatience.  Truth be told, unless God complies with our request at once, we are ready to look elsewhere.  That’s because we don’t understand how the LORD works.  For instance, He put the plan of salvation into motion through Abraham over 4,000 years ago and it still has not been completed. Why?  Because, among other reasons, God isn’t about to turn humans into robots so that they would believe at the push of a button—which could certainly complete the task of world evangelism much quicker—since that is inconsistent to His character of love.

In today’s reading, we learned that God protects us, but sometimes His ways seem opposite to our expectation and timing. Some of us, to our dismay, are finding this out while the COVID-19 pandemic continues to turn our world topsy-turvy.  It’s because God isn’t always interested in immediately alleviating our discomfort since that would run counter to His will to transform our character through the Holy Spirit.  The apostle Paul states, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”  (2 Cor. 3:17-18).  And transformation takes time—thus, we all need to be patient when God is at work to change us.

So, as we wait, let us be patient and worship God. This morning ask God to help you to trust in His word, and then, read it.   

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I admit that I often feel quite frustrated at You for not coming through for me.  Sometimes, I find myself questioning Your goodness and wonder whether following You is worth it but looking at Christ, I believe it is!  Forgive me and help me to be stronger in You. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 24

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Lunch Break Study

Read Heb. 4:12: For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart

James 1:22-24:  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. ²⁵ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

1 Thess. 2:13: And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

Questions to Consider

1. The second half of Hebrews 4:12 says, “God’s word judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  What does that mean (James 1:22-24)?
2. What is one destructive thought that can greatly undermine our attitude toward God’s word (1 Thess. 2:13; Gn. 3:1)?
3. What are the benefits of consistently reading God’s word in the midst of our struggles³ (Ps. 46:10; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Matt. 4:4)?

Notes

1. In James, reading God’s word is equated to looking into a mirror, which accurately reflects our physical state. Most people, after noting any blemish on their face, will fix it.  When we read God’s word with an earnest heart, it reflects our true spiritual condition. Upon seeing any blemish, we ought to correct ourselves through a prayer of repentance unto God.
2. Nothing undermines our confidence in God’s word than doubting, which is what the devil successfully did with Eve.  We are constantly told that the Bible is a concoction of men’s words and ideas, but that, of course, is false.  If you harbor any doubts about this matter, read A General Introduction to the Bible by Geisler and Nix.
3. Our daily grind often makes us forget about God’s presence, but a regular reading of His word will consistently reminds us of His sovereignty.  It also helps us to not only discern what ideas are spiritually harmful but overcome (i.e., correct) them as well.  Another benefit is overcoming temptations through an apt reminder of God’s word (which we’ve read) that is relevant to the situation at hand.  This is how Jesus countered Satan each time He was tempted by him (“It is written . . .”).        

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Evening Reflection

Let’s raise some questions in view of what was touched upon this afternoon. How would describe your Bible reading habit?  Are you content with it or does it need a tune-up?  What is one pressing issue in your life at the moment that really needs some biblical counseling?  Look up the index at the back of your Bible and read relevant passages that address your issue.

Now, before turning in, take a moment to write out your favorite passages in your own words.  How do these words encourage you?

NEW Today’s AMI QT Devotional is prepared by Pastor Jason Sato who is currently serving in Japan as a missionary.  Jason is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Everything She Had”

Mark 12:41–44 (ESV)

And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. [42] And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. [43] And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. [44] For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

As most of us are spending much more time at home than ever before, perhaps initially we thought this could be a time of extra productivity.  Less commuting and less time for meetings and other events outside of the home could turn into time to finally invest in the kids, practice that guitar, or learn that foreign language.

But, if my experience is any indication, our resources and energy seem to have shrunk considerably rather than grown. Our prayers are distracted.  We have less patience than we need for our children.  Our finances are shrinking at a disturbing rate.  There’s not enough time in the day to accomplish our workload—or even 50% of it.  As our fears and worries consume us, we lose our ability to be compassionate and outward focused.  For many of us, we have found that we are in fact weaker and poorer in many areas of our hearts and lives than we had realized.

In our passage this morning, Jesus observes a poor widow who offers very little to the temple, only two small copper coins.  Yet her offering is the greatest and most pleasing to God as it is all that she has.

Brothers and sisters, let’s not be discouraged if we are not as strong and perfect as we’d like to be.  The Father is not disappointed that we are not Jesus.  Yet at the same time, do not imagine that we have nothing to give.  What we have may be little, but what little we have can be offered up to the Lord Jesus who is worthy of all that we have.

So lead your children to trust in God through this time, even imperfectly.  Give all the money you can give to your local church and to charity, even if it’s not an impressive number.  Continue to read the Word and pray each day, even though you get distracted more often than you’d like.  Reach out to others—even if all you can do is send a quick email.  And even if what you give is small in your own eyes, if you give all that you have, know that the Father is pleased and He receives great glory.

Prayer: Father, I frequently fall short in many areas of my life.  Thank You that You are strong in my weakness.  I cannot love and serve as I know I ought, but Your Holy Spirit is with me and I want to give all that I can.  May You be glorified by my “two small copper coins.”  Thank You that You receive them with joy. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 23

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Lunch Break Study 

Read Matthew 12:18–21 (ESV): “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. [19] He will not quarrel or cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; [20] a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory; [21]  and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Question to Consider 

1. Who does the Servant of the Lord come to bless and defend?
2. According to v. 19, how will the Servant of the Lord come?
3. How will the Servant of the Lord approach those who are weak and struggling?

Notes

1. He comes to bless the Gentiles—people who do not belong to Him and have no right to ask Him of His blessing.
2. He will come with humility and gentleness, not as a conquering warrior but as a compassionate Shepherd who willingly suffers for His sheep.
3. He will not crush those who are wounded or quench those who are nearly empty, but He will fight on their behalf and bring hope.

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Evening Reflection 

Reflect on your day.  Were there times when you were discouraged and avoided God or others because you felt like a disappointment?  Bring this to the Lord, ask Him to silence the lies of the enemy, and allow Him to tell you who you are.  Were there times when you felt weak but you were able to continue to give or serve in the midst of your weakness?  Thank God for His Holy Spirit at work in you.

NEW Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who serves as Fenway Site Pastor at Symphony Church in Boston.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Sabbath Rest”

2 Chronicles 36:20-21

He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

In the midst of the lockdowns and quarantines, there has been some expected good news.  In normally overcrowded and bustling cities all around the world, people are hearing birds chirping for the first time in ages.  In many places, mountain ranges are now visible because the smog has lifted, due to the lack of emissions from cars, power plants and factories.  The water in the famed canals of Venice has typically been murky from pollution and overcrowding from tourism, but now due to all the shutdowns, the water is now crystal clear, so much so that people can see the fish swimming in them.  To quote this Chronicles passage, it seems that the world is enjoying its first Sabbath in a long time.

In Leviticus 25, God commanded the Israelites that every seven years they were to take a Sabbath year and refrain from their normal agriculture work and not sow seeds or prune their vineyards.  They were to just leave the land alone and let it rest.  At the end of 2 Chronicles, we see the complete decline of God’s people as Judah is forced into exile in Babylon, and the author says it was a Sabbath for the land; it then became desolate.  The implication here seems to be that the Israelites had not been practicing the Sabbath year for a long time and in some sense, God was forcing their hands and giving the land a rest.

While we recognize how difficult and trying these times are in this global pandemic, at the same time, I think we can recognize that there is something that God wants to do in us and our world.  In our formerly normal lives, we all carried on with the usual: work, school and family affairs.  But in between all of that, we packed in social clubs, workshops, workouts, eating out, vacations, shopping, social media, Youtube and Netflix (just to name a few).  It feels like the goal of our lives was to fill every moment with something, to be busier, more educated, more entertained, more everything.  One of the last things on our minds was taking a Sabbath.  Sure we took days off or “mental health” days, but even then, we usually rested for the sake of being recharged to do more!

But now, perhaps God is forcing our hands, as most of us in some way or another have been compelled to put our normal, busy lives on hold.  I believe that God wants to remind us to not make our lives about more achievement or more progress but to trust him by resting from our work.  The environment is enjoying the rest with cleaner air and clearer water and skies, and we all the more are meant to enjoy this rest since, as Jesus says, the Sabbath was made for man. Let us then enjoy this rest that God has given us, and let us witness His work in our lives.

Prayer: Jesus, we surrender our lives to you in this season.  It’s hard to not work and achieve as we once did before, but all the more, may we rest from our work and trust in Yours.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Acts 22

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Lunch Bible Study

Read John 6:11-15: Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Questions to Consider

1. What good work was Jesus doing in this passage?
2. What would you do after performing such an amazing feat?  How do you typically feel after a great accomplishment?
3. What might have happened if Jesus stayed with the crowd? Why did he withdraw instead?

Notes

1. Jesus was feeding the five thousand miraculously with the five loaves of bread and two fish.
2. Personal reflection question.  I think many of us feel a “high” of some sort after we accomplish something.  Most of us in Jesus’ place would have stayed for the adulation and adoration of the crowd.  We’d use this opportunity to be congratulated and affirmed.
3. It says here that they may have taken Jesus and forced him to be king.  Jesus withdrew because he was not meant to be a king like other earthly authorities.  Also, Jesus withdrew because he was not defined by his work or accomplishment or by how much the crowds loved him.  He could rest from his work because that work was not all he was about.

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Evening Reflection

In this season, I believe God wants us to reconsider what or who defines our lives.  In the midst of our busy lives, we can so easily let ourselves be designed by our work or accomplishments, but now is one of the best opportunities to rest from our work and to trust God to show us who we are.  Let us close this day by surrendering our lives and our work to Him; let us seek rest for our busy souls.