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.

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by then (2013) staff of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan, was first posted on September 22, 2013.  It has been updated.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Fulfillment of God’s Ultimate Promise, in Christ”

Psalm 89:29-37

I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. 30 If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, 31 if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, 32 then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, 33 but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. 34 I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. 35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. 36 His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. 37 Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah

There are many covenants between God and man that we see in the Bible, such as the rainbow covenant between God and Noah, the Abrahamic covenant between God and Abraham, the Mosaic covenant between God and Moses, and so forth. While each of these covenants was made primarily between one individual and God, they had far reaching implications for humanity. In this Psalm, this particular covenant shows how God will persevere with the line of David and establish the house of David. Even with severe chastisements, God will establish the line of David. We see the ultimate fulfillment of this in Jesus, who is also called the Son of David.

And today, amid the chaos brought on by COVID-19, we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s ultimate promise stated in an earlier psalm of David (Ps. 16:10-11) : “. . . you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”  While David certainly said this under the Spirit’s inspiration, it wasn’t said of him since he later died and decayed.  Instead, this psalm points to the coming of the Messiah—the king of the Jews in accordance to the Davidic dynasty—who will one day die for the sins of the world; but he will rise from dead, thereby not being subjected to the decaying of corpse.

This morning’s Psalm reminds us that God is faithful to His word and promises. His covenants stand firm and are dependent upon Him and Him alone. Even during the times of history where the line of David experienced the anger of God, God did not violate His covenant with them. When we look to Jesus, we are reminded that God will fulfill His promises. Yes, He will correct and rebuke us, but His covenant with us will stand. We can put our trust and hope in God, no matter how difficult our lives may become in the aftermath of COVID-19, who will remain true to Himself.  This, then, is the basis for our hope in the resurrected Christ. Amen.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being faithful to Your many promises made to us.  In times like these when everything has been turned upside down, we desperately need You.  Actually, it’s a blessing to finally recognize our constant need for You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 21

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 31, 2013.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Living by Faith, not by Sight”

Luke 8:40-48: Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus’ feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Amid social distancing necessitated by COVID-19, touching someone without consent is sure to raise the ire of the person touched. And it’s not inconceivable to imagine the offended person calling for the police. It was no less scandalous or offensive in the days of Jesus in situations where a person deemed unclean (e.g., lepers or women suffering from hemophilia) touched clean people, thereby making them unclean.

With that said, on this day, many people were touching Jesus—given that “the crowds almost crushed him” (v. 42^b)—but there was one touch, by the bleeding woman, that did not go unnoticed by Jesus. The woman must have felt elated since she got healed immediately because the power of Jesus was released when she touched him (v. 46).  But that happiness was short lived when Jesus began to look for the person who touched him. At first, it appeared as if Jesus was upset (he had his reasons), but she quickly discovered that Jesus wanted to commend her.  For what?  This is to ask, how was the touch of this woman different from that of others?  In short, she touched Jesus in faith.

Allow me to put it this way: The Bible “forces” us to touch Jesus in faith; all other touches will never suffice.  For instance, the Lord, after resurrecting, told Mary Magdalene that, after he ascended into heaven, she could no longer relate to him “by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7), which she had been doing for three and a half years.  Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father . . . I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17).

Then how was Mary supposed to relate to Jesus?  How are we to connect with Jesus who is in heaven?  It is by faith, not by sight that we are to relate to Jesus, for the Lord said to doubting Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). The woman in today’s passage touched Jesus with faith, and this act stood out as being radically different from the faith (or lack thereof) of the rest of the crowd.

Even though Jesus is not here with us on earth, do you still reach out to him in faith like the woman who touched Jesus? Is he real to you?  He can be, since we have been given the Holy Spirit. How?  Read his words, be reminded of his promises and develop an intimate prayer life.  We live by faith, not by sight.

Prayer: Lord, please make yourself real in my life.  Lord, help me to make you real in my life.  Lord, help me to develop a deeper walk with you.  Help me to discern what things to get rid of in my life in order to spend more time with you.  Lord, help me to live by faith, not by sight.  Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 19-20

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

“Monastic Bell”

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

As I am now isolated at home with my family, on a rare occasion during the day, I’ll have a free moment to sit down in my home office and try to do some work (like writing this devotional).  I’ll turn on my computer, open up a document like this and start writing a few words of precious wisdom and then suddenly, out of nowhere, I’ll hear the pounding of footsteps and then “DAAAADDDYYYYYY” as my 4 year old son Tyler screams.  So I’ll then run upstairs and say, “Yes Tyler?” and he’ll say, “Daddy… I didn’t take a nap!”  And I’ll say, “Ok” and then go back to my office, sit down and try to get working again.  If I’m lucky, I’ll get 15 minutes and then I’ll hear footsteps again and another “DAAAADDYYYYYY.”  At these points, all attempts of decency and civility are done with; so, I’ll just scream semi-annoyedly, “WHAT TYLER?!”  This has pretty much been my daily routine and by the way, there’s a 10 month old boy in the house too.  Every day now is a challenge to do work or have alone time or do anything without interruption.

In the monastic movements in the 12th century, there was a rule at monasteries regarding what was called the “monastic bell.”  The rule was that whenever the bell rang, all of the monks were to immediately stop doing whatever they were doing and go to do whatever they were being gathered to do.  The response was strictly to be immediate, even if they were in the middle of deep prayer or were studying the word of God.  And if they were in the middle of writing a sentence, they were to stop immediately and not finish writing that sentence.  So, why was there this insistence on dropping everything immediately at the sound of a bell?  The idea of the monastic bell was to teach the monks that their time was not their own.

As we are in this season of COVID-19, a giant metaphorical monastic bell has gone off all around the world and we’ve all been, in many ways, interrupted by this pandemic; that is, we’ve been forced to stop whatever we were doing. Whether it was our work or relationships or recreation or ministry even, we’ve all been compelled to pause in some way.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book Life Together said, “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions.“  If we believe these words and also the words of Paul when he says “in all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Rom. 8:28), perhaps we all need to recognize that God is working through the big and small interruptions in our lives today.  And one important thing He is trying to teach us is that we are not in control and our lives are not our own.

And as the monastic bell rings constantly throughout my day, with interruptions from my children, and as many of us have faced small and large interruptions to our work, education, family life and ministry and church life, it’s easy for us to grow frustrated, to lament our loss of agency, productivity and time.  But all the more, let us remember that our lives are not our own and there is a good work that God is striving to do within us.

Prayer: Jesus, it is challenging for us, but we thank you for reminders that we are not in control and that our time and our lives are not our own.  We surrender our lives and hearts to you this day.  May your will be done in our lives. AMEN

Bible Reading for Today:  Acts 18

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 5:17-26: On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”

Questions to Consider

1. How do you think you would react and feel if you were in Jesus’ place in this narrative?
2. How does Jesus respond?  What happens as a result of Jesus’ response?
3. What good work do you think God wants to do through interruptions in your life?

Notes

1. Make sure you put yourself in Jesus’ place here.  Imagine that you’re doing a teaching session.  You’re sharing the words and wisdom of God, giving elaborate illustrations and parables, doing all you can to grab the attention of your audience and praying and hoping that the word cuts to their hearts.  And then suddenly, the ROOF starts to shake and dirt and dust are coming down and then there’s a hole in the roof.  Now whatever you have been teaching has been forgotten.  My guess is that all of us would have at least some level of irritation.
2. We have no indication of annoyance or irritation from Jesus in this passage.  He instead sees this first as a moment to bring forgiveness and healing to this paralytic man and second, he uses this as an opportunity to teach his audience, the Pharisees and teachers of the law.  We don’t know what he was teaching them before this, but I’d guess Jesus thought this was an even better teaching moment.
3. Personal response

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Evening Reflection

These days of quarantining and self-isolation have been challenging for many of us.  Our lives have been greatly interrupted.  As you close out this day, take some time to consider what God is trying to teach you in this season.  Even though it may be difficult to recognize and accept, surrender your time and heart to him.

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), is an updated version of his blog first posted on January 17, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Dear Media and Politicians: ‘You Got Nothing on Wenliang, David and Jesus’”

Psalm 7:7-9

Let the assembled peoples gather around you.  Rule over them from on high; 8 let the Lord judge the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High. 9 O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.

What irritates me the most about politicians and mainstream media amid COVID-19 pandemic is the tit-for-tat blaming game they all play.  So, to Biden who says, “[Trump’s] delays [are] causing real pain for so many Americans,” Trump retorts, “Obama was slow to address swine flu.” Then there are all typical situations in which the blamers are oblivious to the fact they have done the same thing.  There is no better example than the media’s insinuation that President Trump’s reference to the origin of coronavirus being Wuhan/China borders on racism when, in fact, that’s what the media said at the outset of the pandemic.

If there is anyone who stands blameless in the coronavirus fiasco, it is the late Li Wenliang, a doctor in Wuhan who, after finding a mysterious virus (known now as coronavirus), raised the alarm.  Has anyone ever falsely accused you of doing wrong? If so, you have nothing on Dr. Wenliang because Wuhan police arrested him for “spreading false rumors” and “seriously disrupt[ing] social order.”

And, one biblical character who can truly empathize with Wenliang, is David—who was accused of trying to kill King Saul to take his throne (1 Sam. 24:9).  Look, David wasn’t theologizing when he said, “Judge me according to my righteousness.”  Neither was David saying he was sinless.  It was just a different way of saying to God what he had told Saul: “I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion.  I’ve not wronged you” (24:11).  This worked on that day, but Saul would come back to try to kill David.

Life is like that, sometimes—it seems to only get worse.  The apostle Paul, facing a crisis that, to him, felt like the enormity of COVID-19 pandemic, writes, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death” (2 Cor. 1:8-9a).  But, spiritually, that isn’t a bad place to be (briefly, we hope), since that’s where we usually discover that, as Paul did, “this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raised the dead” (2 Cor. 1:8).

Returning to being falsely accused, Jesus understands how it feels since it was through slanderous accusations that He was put on the cross.  This morning, find yourself in the sympathetic arms of Christ!   

Prayer: Father, thank You for your Son, who, because He Himself suffered, is able to sympathize with me when I am falsely accused.  I cry out to You in my distress.  While I eagerly await for Your deliverance, I’ll continue to enjoy Your presence in my life. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 17

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Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 64:6*: All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Luke 18:9-14: He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

*What Isaiah said about Israel here resonates with the NT theology of what God thinks about our righteousness: neither sufficient nor adequate enough to get anybody into heaven apart from Christ. (Rom 3:20a: “No one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law.”)

Questions to Consider

1. Surely some live more righteously than others but what’s the NT rationale summed up in Romans 3:20 (James 2:1-11)?
2. We should strive to live righteously, but what can happen to our hearts if we get too caught up with it (Lk. 18:9-14)?
3. What can we do to avoid falling into this ego trip (Phil. 3:13; Matt. 6:3; 2 Cor. 10:12-3)?

Notes

1. For a mountain climber, all it takes is one break in the rope for him to fall to his death.  Likewise, the NT rationale behind why our impressive righteousness cannot save us, is because all it takes is one breaking of God’s law to be declared a lawbreaker. So, have we broken any laws?  Since highly righteous people such as Mother Teresa or Gandhi would have readily admitted to having broken some of God’s laws, none of us stands a chance!  Our righteousness cannot save us.
2. As our lives improve morally and ethically, we have the tendency to compare ourselves to those who are at the bottom of the moral totem pole, thereby making us look even better!  We become holier-than-thou and start judging everyone!  That’s how our righteousness can become like filthy rags.
3. Paul suggested two things: first, do good and then forget it; second, don’t compare yourself to others!

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Evening Reflection

Considering Luke 18:9-14, which we read for Lunch Break Study, with whom do you identify with: the self-righteous Pharisees who lived morally on the outside, or the penitent tax collectors who still might demand extortions (on any given day)?  Where do you find yourself?

What righteous (or, unrighteous) acts did you do today?  What positives did you derive from that? Were there any negatives?  How do you process all this considering that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-9) but our works verify whether we are saved (James 2:24)?

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

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Make Room for Compassion”

Mark 1:40-42 (NASB)

And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

A few weeks ago, I was doing some work on my computer at a café. A few feet away, an elderly gentleman sneezed. I don’t know how it is in your city, with COVID-19. But in my city, there seems to be an unspoken rule: an individual is allowed to sneeze ONCE. But starting from the second sneeze, laser beams of dirty looks from others around the room will immediately lock onto you. These days, I don’t think I’ve observed anyone sneeze or cough more than twice in public.

But on this day, this particular gentleman at my café sneezed about 15 times in the span of one minute. You better believe that every eye was on him! My first thought was, “is this how it ends for me?” But as I joined the others in glaring the man down, for a split second I caught the look of shame on his masked face. I could see it in his eyes, as he quickly gathered his belongings and hobbled out of the café. When he left, there was a collective sigh of relief, but I couldn’t help but feel badly for the man.

Perhaps this is a fraction of what the leper in Mark 1 must have felt. COVID-19 is certainly a dangerous virus… but imagine leprosy: a disease that destroys your nervous system and eventually leaves your body to slowly rot, limb by limb. If you think being in quarantine is bad, imagine being kicked out of society and left to live the rest of your life on the outskirts of town, with only other lepers to commiserate with.

The amazing thing about this encounter with Jesus was not only the healing that eventually came; it’s the fact that Jesus reached out and touched the leper. Would you touch a person whom you knew had COVID-19? Probably not willingly. Yet Jesus, moved with compassion, regardless of all social and health implications, touched this man!

What can we learn from this story, as we navigate this pandemic? Obviously Jesus knew what He was doing; He was not being reckless and neither should we. But Jesus made it a point to go out of His way to show love to those who were suffering. Likewise, we must not let self-preservation dull us from compassion, lest we lose sight of Jesus’ heart.

How can you (wisely) show compassion today to those around you who are in fear, loneliness, isolation, and/or sickness? The ripple effects of COVID-19 are complex and multi-layered. But one thing is for sure. People are more desperate now than they have been in a long time. Let’s not let the virus bottle up our compassion. If anything, now is the time the world needs the compassionate touch of Jesus-followers, more than ever before. Spend a few moments to ask God to show you what that might look like in your situation.

Prayer: Jesus, enlarge our hearts, that we may seek the interests and needs of others, even before our own. As we endure this pandemic, may we plant many seeds of testimonies in the people around us, so that when this is all over, Your Name would be glorified in our neighborhoods and cities.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 16

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Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 7:22-27: This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Questions to Consider

1. In this passage, who is the author of Hebrews comparing Jesus to?
2. What makes Jesus different than the priests that came before him?
3. According to this passage, what is Jesus doing for those who draw to near to God?

Notes

1. Throughout Hebrews, the author compares Jesus to the Levite priests. More specifically, Jesus is often compared to those who served as high priest. In the days following Moses, it was the job of the high priest to stand before God on behalf of the people. Today, Jesus is our perfect High Priest.
2. The author lists several things. While every other priest has died, Jesus continues in priesthood forever. He is holy, innocent, unstained, and exalted. He has no need for a sacrifice, but instead became a sacrifice for us. And in doing so, he once-and-for-all made the payment for our sins.
3. This passage tells us a wonderful truth. That Jesus is always making intercession for us. That is, He is standing before God the Father on our behalf. Let us draw near to God with confidence because we have such an intercessor who is on our side!

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Evening Reflection

When this pandemic is over, what stories will you be telling? What stories will others be telling about you? We may not have control over what happens around the world with the virus. But we can choose how we want to live each day. This evening, allow God to reshape your mindset regarding this virus situation.

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Sam Lee who leads Catalyst Agape Church in Northern New Jersey, was first posted on December 2, 2013.  He is a graduate of University of Wisconsin (B.A.) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Waiting on the Lord”

Acts 1:4-5

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Introduction: Once the dust of COVID-19 settles—whenever that may be—many of us will truly discover how much toll it has taken on our lives.  There will be a lot of hard work to be done and much waiting on the Lord—even as we seek God’s favor in our endeavors to rebuild. In today’s blog, Pastor Sam talks about the importance of waiting on the Holy Spirt.

An encounter with the Holy Spirit is so important to the Christian life that Jesus commands His disciples to wait for this promise. The disciples waited for the Holy Spirit because they knew they could not live the Christian life and fulfill their calling without the work of the Holy Spirit. Like many of us, I can be impatient, but when it comes to the work of the Holy Spirit, I have experienced the value of waiting.

It was in the waiting that God prepared my heart to hold the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is in the waiting that the clay in the hands of the Potter becomes a vase; it takes time for the clump of clay to be molded into a vase that can hold God’s presence and power. It is in the waiting that we learn to pray and seek the Lord. It is in the waiting God works on our character and motivations. It is in the waiting God fixes all the cracks and leaks in the vessel. I have seen vessels with cracks trying to bring the Holy Spirit’s revival but ultimately can’t hold it for too long. God is looking for vessels that can hold a revival so that it spreads to the ends of the earth.  It was in the waiting that I have come to value the person of the Holy Spirit. Please remember that the Holy Spirit is a person and not some New Age impersonal energy.

We know how to wait for things we value, but we find it hard to wait for a dollar hamburger at a fast food restaurant because it is not of much value. If the burger doesn’t come fast enough, we become angry and want our money back.  Although I have no patience when I go shopping, when I go with my wife, I can wait because I value her. It took me many years to learn that while waiting during shopping, I didn’t have to just twiddle my thumbs, but I could build relationship with my wife.

In a similar way, it is in the waiting that we build a relationship with the Holy Spirit. We talk about loving God the Father and Jesus the Son, but we need to love the Holy Spirit who is the third person of the Trinity. While waiting, why not talk to the Holy Spirit? It is in the connection that the branch is able to bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, as I brace for the storm of COVID-19 to run its course, pleases strengthen me.  I will need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to steady my trembling feet—so help me!  May I not falter even as I wait on the Holy Spirit to strengthen me.  Amen.    

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 15

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Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 40:30-31 (NKJV):  “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Questions to Consider

1. In what sense does the calamity of COVID-19, happening in real time, prove Isaiah’s point?
2. What do you think “wait” means in this context?
3. What are some things you can do while you wait for the Lord?

Notes

1. At first, it was said that the coronavirus won’t hardly affect those young adults who are infected, that only old people and those with preexisting conditions should really worry.  But later, analysis indicated that millennials are not invincible.  For instance, “up to one-fifth of infected people ages 20-44 have been hospitalized.”
2. The word “wait” doesn’t mean just sitting back and doing nothing until something happens, but it implies an active kind of waiting.
3. Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

When something is not happening, people use hype, manipulation, or try to force things to happen. I believe that those things hurt the movement of the Holy Spirit. In the area of prophetic gifts, healing, and the supernatural, what would be a better attitude or response when not much seems to be happening?