UPDATED Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S.F., was originally posted on March 29, 2013.  Mark is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Psalm 31:3-5 (NIV)

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

Introduction: Pastor Mark wrote this blog for the Good Friday edition of 2013.  At the close of this devotional, he says, “It is easy to trust God when things are going well . . .”  That remark, for some, may have rung hallow then, but not so today amid COVID-19 that knows no bound while inflicting so much pain in the lives of countless people.  In that light, may the true meaning of Good Friday minister to us; share it with those who are still clueless about the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God.

When Jesus spoke the words of this psalm on the cross, it was at the very end of his suffering.  Imagine the events preceding this statement: an evening of torturous prayer, betrayed by a friend in the dark of the night, questioned and beaten by religious leaders deep into the morning hours of the next day, and then stand trial before Pilate at dawn.

In less than two hours, Jesus would be tried and sentenced to carry his cross up to Mt. Calvary.  By 9 am, the soldiers would have nailed his hands and feet, and lifted him up on that cross.  For the next six hours, Jesus would not only suffer the physical pain of the crucifixion, but more importantly, he would endure the spiritual agony of God’s wrath and abandonment.

This is what makes this statement so amazing, that even after enduring such despair, Jesus was still able to entrust his spirit into the hands of God.  It was and is the greatest proclamation of trust in the sovereign will of God; even unto death he was the perfect model for his followers.  It is easy to trust God when things are going well but the cross reminds us that the real trust is forged through the dark nights of our soul.

As you come to Easter weekend, are you praying for anyone in particular to hear the Gospel?  Pray about opportunities to bring someone to church to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess that it is difficult to entrust my life completely into Your hands, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Help me to follow the example of Your Son who lived his life in complete dependence upon Your will.  Even when I cannot understand the circumstances surrounding my life, teach me how to trust You instead of leaning on my own strength and understanding.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 10

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV):

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Questions to Consider

1. What is the basis of our trust in God’s provision for our daily needs (Matt. 6:26)?
2. Why is it pointless to worry (Matt. 6:27)?
3. What is God’s promise to those who put their trust in Him (Matt. 6:33)?

Notes

1. Jesus points out that the birds of the sky are well taken care of and compares their worth to ours.  Clearly, we are worth more to God than a sparrow since we are the only creatures under heaven that bear His image.  Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that God is concerned deeply about our daily needs.
2. From a pragmatic sense, it is pointless to worry because there is nothing that anxiety can do about the circumstances of tomorrow.  In addition, worrying doesn’t make the quality of our lives better, but in reality, diminishes it.    
3. God’s promise is a simple one for those who put their trust in Him and seek first the kingdom of God: Everything we need for life eternal will be provided for us.

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Evening Reflection

Are you growing in terms of your level of trust?  For some, the command not to worry is about as difficult to follow as an instruction to stop breathing.  Anxiety seems to be such a natural part of our lives that we forget that it is a symptom of our lack of trust in God.

That said, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the post-COVID 19 world renders trusting in God a necessity for our survival, spiritual and otherwise.  Prayer is one of the ways we can learn to put our trust into God during difficult times.  Pray.   

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 7, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“COVID-19 Proves that There is No God!  Really?”

Psalm 14:1-3

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”  They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

Soon, some atheists will proclaim that COVID-19 pandemic, the hitherto unforeseen catastrophe of-biblical-proportions, proves that there is no God.  And that is the sort of argument Richard Dawkins makes in his bestselling book, The God Delusion (2006): “The existence of evil, especially natural catastrophes such as earthquakes and tsunamis, counts strongly against the likelihood that God exists” (p. 135).  In fact, the authoritative Oxford Companion to Philosophy gives the problem of evil as “the most powerful objection to traditional theism.”

The New Atheist Dawkins, who has written several books to refute what many Bible-believing Christians uphold, is no fool; for, he taught biology at Oxford for a long time.  But, by virtue of rejecting God, he opened the floodgates for evil to inundate the world.  Recall what Fyodor Dostoevsky, the famed Russian novelist, once said: “If there is no God, everything is permitted.”  Being aware of this, Dawkins raises the question, “What matters is whether atheism systematically influences people to do bad things.”

And it is at this point, Dawkins, a very smart person—according to the standard of the world—makes a foolish response: “There isn’t the smallest evidence that it does” (i.e., atheists do bad things).  What? Don’t Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot, three of the most notorious atheists in the 20^th century, qualify as evidence?  Of course, atheists aren’t all mass murderers, but as Nietzsche (of the “God is dead” fame) noted, once God is tossed out, so should the “delusion of morality,” which makes it that much easier to do the unthinkable!  Yes, as Dostoevsky asserted, if there is no God, then there is no moral restraint to rein us from doing whatever we want.  Consider what Robert Tulloch, a reader of Nietzsche who killed two Dartmouth professors in 2001, said:  “I was especially impressed with the idea that, without God, there were no absolute moral values   A powerful individual could decide what was right including murder and do it” (Ramsland).

Certainly, not every believer in God acts like an angel.  Neither is the belief in the Creator God of the Bible sufficient for becoming a virtuous and moral person; but—don’t be foolish—it is necessary as the center piece for a virtuous life.  A question to us: Do your actions indicate that you believe in God?  In many ways, COVID-19 has shown our true colors.  (Are you listening, toilet paper hoarders and price gougers?)  In view of that, let’s be mindful of Hebrews 12:14b that says, “Be holy [i.e., be different from the world]; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

Prayer: Father, I confess that I take You and my faith for granted.  But with so many people in this world who refuse to acknowledge You, it’s a privilege that I was given the gift of faith to believe in You.  Thank You LORD! Remind me daily to live out that faith in such a way that others would want You!

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 9

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Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 1:18-20: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,  in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Questions to Consider

1. Some claim there’s lack of evidence to believe in God, but what does the Bible say about that (Rom. 1:18-20; Ps. 19:1-4)?
2. What is additional evidence for God’s existence that the Scripture presents (Rom. 2:14-5, 1:32; Matt. 7:9-11)?
3. What is one reason why some people reject God’s existence (Jn. 3:19-20; Acts 19:23-7)?

Notes

1. “The heavens declare the glory of God” means that God’s existence is self-evident at least in two ways. First, the teleological argument posits that the fine-tuning of the universe (for intelligent life) or biological complexity (of cells) point to a designer (a.k.a., God).  Second, the cosmological argument posts that, (a) everything that begins to exist has a cause, (b) the universe began to exist, (c) therefore, the universe has a cause.
2. Rom. 2:15 says that the requirements of the law are written in the hearts of all men.  Thus, an evil person knows how to give good gifts to his children. The existence of conventional morality in all cultures (e.g., some aspects of the Confucius ethics and the Laws of Hammurabi) point to the same source: God.
3. For some, they reject God behind some intellectual arguments, but the true reason is a very personal one: They don’t want to be under someone’s rule where their pleasure and profit would be hampered with; also, they don’t want to admit that they have done wrong.

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Evening Reflection

So how was your day today?  We don’t believe in God’s existence simply because it is the most logical view.  Some of us may have begun that way but as we experience His goodness in our lives, our belief in Him becomes more personal.  Reflect on how God has been so good to you.

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 17, 2013, is provided by Pastor Barry Kang who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  He is a graduate of Stanford University (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Why, Lord, Why?”

Psalm 38:1-4

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.  2 For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me. 3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin.  4 My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

Introduction: What Pastor Barry wrote in 2013, in view of all the hitherto unforeseen things happening globally at the moment, is quite relevant to the “why” questions being raised by many people affected by COVID-19.    

Is sickness a punishment from God?  A short answer is “maybe” or “not always.”  We will explore a longer answer in today’s lunch time bible study. In any case, in Psalm 38, David did believe that his sickness was God’s discipline, and furthermore, that God had forsaken him (v21).  When we are confronted with sickness and suffering, God’s presence can seem far away and his wrath more evident than His love.

Yet, David prays.  If God has indeed caused David’s sickness and forsaken him, then there is little logic to his behavior, but David does not cease praying.  The fact that he continues to seek the LORD, despite of his circumstances, reveals a deep-seated faith in a God who is loving and merciful.  Did God cause David’s sickness?  I don’t know; however, I am certain that David’s response was the right one regardless whether God caused his illness or not.  God is loving and merciful, and so whatever the circumstances, we can and ought to pray.

Is prayer your first response to sickness and pain?  Let us put our trust in God.  No matter the circumstances, God is good.  We may not always understand His ways, but we do know that God, in His infinite love, never stops working in our midst.

Prayer: Father, it is sometimes difficult to discern Your presence in the suffering that I observe, let alone the suffering that I personally experience.  But when I look at Jesus on the cross, I know that You are not above my suffering.  I thank You that one day, in Your love and kindness, You will eliminate all pain and suffering.  Until that day comes, I put my hope and trust in You.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Acts 8

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 9:1-5 (NIV): As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Questions to Consider

1. What “theology of sickness” do the disciples hold (v2)?  How is this theology incorrect?
2. How was the work of God displayed in this blind man’s life?  What is Jesus’ command regarding our interaction with sickness (v3-4)?
3. In verse 14, we see that Jesus heals this man on the Sabbath.  In view of the purpose of the Sabbath (c.f. Ex 20:11; Deut. 5:15), what does Jesus’ action tell us about God?

While sickness and suffering can seem like either a punishment or evidence that God is far away, John 9 tells us that even sickness can be redeemed to reveal God’s glory and work.  Our God is in the business of bringing reconciliation and healing to this broken world, and we are to join him in this work.

Notes

1. In Jesus’ day, a typical Israelite, under the influence of the Mosaic Law, held that personal suffering was a direct result of sin.  Thus, the only question that interested the disciples was who was responsible.  Since the man was blind from birth, they believed that either he had sinned while in the womb or his parents.  However, Jesus swiftly dismisses this theology. (See also Job for God’s repudiation of this theology.)  The relationship between sin and suffering is much more complex.  Sin has produced a suffering world, but an individual’s personal suffering is not always attributable to his/her personal sin.  In the case of this blind man, Jesus implies that the LORD allowed this to happen so that “the work of God might be displayed in his life.”
2. The work of God is displayed in the blind man’s life when Jesus heals him of his blindness, thus revealing that Jesus was indeed the “light of the world” (John 8:12). When we submit our suffering to God, then God’s work can be displayed; either through healing/deliverance, or alternatively, through God’s provision of courageous acceptance (c.f. 2 Cor. 12:7-10). Furthermore, Jesus tells us that human suffering is an opportunity for us to join in God’s work (v4).   
3. The Israelites rested on the Sabbath for two main reasons: a. They followed the example of God who rested on the seventh day of creation (Exodus 20);  b. As a reminder that God had freed the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5).

Put simply, Sabbath rest is about focusing on God and receiving his freedom from captivity.  Jesus’s act of healing on the Sabbath did not contravene the commandment to rest but fulfilled it (made it full).  The institution of the Sabbath reveals God’s heart to bring healing and freedom to this broken world.

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Evening Reflection

Can you recall a time when suffering revealed God’s grace?  Did you witness the suffering of others today?  How did you respond?  As we reflect tonight, let’s ask God to open our eyes to the suffering around us and more importantly, give us insight into how we can be part of His work amid the wreckage wrought by COVID-19.

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), is an updated version of his blog first posted on February 1, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“If Only It Were So Simple; No, It Rains on Everyone”

Habakkuk 3:17-18

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”

Although the following incident occurred 38 years ago, during my first attempt as a youth pastor in Los Angeles (1982), it always pops into my head whenever I read the parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27 (see Lunch Break Study).

One day, Freddie, who was in middle school, showed me his drawing of this parable; in short, it was too good to be true.  Torrential rain came down only on the house built on sand (i.e., the foolish builders) and the wind beat against it; but the sun shined on the house built on the rock (i.e., the wise builders).  Although I didn’t know the Scripture all that well at that time, I knew enough to see that Freddie’s Christianity was way off.  However, it didn’t take long to see that Freddie was not alone; in fact, a whole theology is built on the notion that God only blesses and prospers His people.  Giving credence to Freddie’s belief that rain comes down only on not-always-wise/faithful believers, I soon heard one famous preacher say, “If I walk rightly, and if I walk in line with the Word of God, I’m thoroughly convinced I can be free from sickness and disease.”

No, as I corrected Freddie, this preacher was dead wrong (Gal. 4:14; 1 Tim. 5:23; 2 Ki. 13:14).  While God, who sees and knows all things about us, abhors unrighteousness, a scorching wind will come upon the righteous as well as the unrighteous.  Of course, what many of us are facing right now—amid staggering economic losses prompted by COVID-19—is more like a tsunami.  That said, for those who are in Christ, there are always many happy exceptions, even in the bleakest times, and things could have been worse.  Nevertheless, people who assume that the true believers are immune from facing the travails of life will solely be disappointed and disillusioned.

The ultimate question boils down to this: What is our life built upon?  Is it upon the solid foundation of faith in Christ or ephemeral things like physical appearances, possessions or positions?  And that’s what Habakkuk, a prophet to the Israelites in the 7^th century B.C., faced as he came to realize that God was going to judge the wayward Israel by way of using the mighty Babylonians against her.  Here, it behooves us to ask: Is our faith strong enough to withstand the toughest trials in life?  What does a strong faith even look like?   Read the Habakkuk passage again: being reduced to having nothing but Jesus and yet still rejoicing over that fact alone! Yes, we join Peter who “said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith’!” (Lk. 17:5).

Prayer: Dear God, it’s so easy to see my faith as an insurance policy just in case something goes wrong.  Help me to see that You are not in my life to always keep me from losing the things that I value, but to keep me from coming apart when the things that I value and the people whom I love are no longer there. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 7

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 7:24-27: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Questions to Consider

1. How does putting God’s words into practice result in a solid foundation that withstands life’s trials (Heb. 5:13-4)?
2. How does Peter’s fall (Matt. 26:36-41, 66-75) show the truth of this parable when God’s word is not put into practice?
3. What keeps us from putting God’s words into practice (Heb. 2:1; James 1:22-4; Lk. 12:11-3)?

Notes

1. To prepare for Hurricane Sandy in 2012, I checked my generator, thinking that it had plenty of gasoline; it was empty.  Had I tried to use it after the power was lost, it would’ve been completely useless.  Likewise, an untested faith is useless when facing difficult moments in life because there is no spiritual traction to get a firm footing to withstand the test. But by constantly using God’s teaching to deal with life’s issues, we learn how to distinguish good (holding onto God no matter what and trusting in Him) from evil (abandoning Him by depending on earthly things to get through tough times).
2. Despite being told to persevere in prayer to avoid falling into temptation, Peter didn’t put what he heard into practice by giving into his sleepiness. The result was devastating: his faith fell with a great crash when he denied to a servant girl, no less, that he ever knew Jesus.
3. The man in Lk. 12:11-13 didn’t hear what Jesus taught (suffering for God) because he was preoccupied with his own agenda (i.e., getting his share of the family inheritance).  Unless we give up our own agendas (for personal enrichment) we will always be distracted and remain as inattentive listeners.

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Evening Reflection

What we have been dealing with today is the matter of trust: Do I trust God enough to put His words into practice even if this may result in my loss?  What are some issues that you are wrestling with God at the moment?  What do you need to do in order to put God’s word into practice regarding the issue that you’re presently struggling with?   

As you review your day, was there a moment when you clearly had a chance to put into practice what you learned from God’s word?  What happened? What did you learn from it about your faith?  Pray!

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Cami King who servs as associate pastor at Remnant Church in Manhattan.  She is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Is God Actually Doing?”

Acts 2:22-24, 36-39

“‘Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him . . . 36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.’ 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ 38 Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’”

Over the years, I’ve noticed a repeated trope in the Church (both in Scripture and in present day): Folks who identify themselves as the people of God or followers of Jesus are inclined to miss (misidentify or ignore) what God is doing in their present time. And, it’s only after the fact, when they find themselves under God’s judgment (1 Pet. 4:17) or when their descendants look back, that the error is identified (and occasionally corrected). And the few, like the prophets, who are aware of what God is doing at the time—well, things don’t end so well for them (e.g., Jeremiah/Jer. 38:6).

In the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) we read story after story of God’s personal revelation to the descendants of Abraham, oddly coupled with their continued confusion about what God is like and who God is calling them to be. They get hung up on technicalities of the law when God is instead inviting them to build a just world (Mic. 6:8). They focus on religious rituals (Mk. 7:5-13), when God is calling for acts of love and mercy to both neighbor and stranger. They look for ways to build empires and kingdoms in the world, when God is inviting them into loving community that transcends this world. God sent numerous prophets to signal a large-scale redemptive work, and yet when Jesus came, most were confused about the nature of his ministry, of salvation, and of the Kingdom of God (Lk. 24:21). The history of the Church (our history) tells a very similar story.

We are inundated with woefully unhelpful and often irresponsible speculations about the times in which we are living, particularly within charismatic and evangelical church spaces. There is a temptation to spend more time arguing about things that are deeply subjective and nonessential and speculating about things we literally can’t know (Acts 1:7-8, Matt. 24:36), than we spend actually practicing what we already do know (Mic. 6:8; Isa. 58:6). And in so doing, I wonder if we miss what God is up to in our time and inadvertently reject an invitation to get involved (Matt. 16:2-3).

What is the nature of the redemptive work God is doing in the world? How is the Spirit that work doing that work right now today (in our neighborhoods or cities)? How is God inviting us to get involved?

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 6

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Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 2:14-21: Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

Question to Consider

1. What do you learn from these verses about what God is doing “in the last days”?  What do they teach us about the nature of the Kingdom of God and His plan for the world?
2. What is God’s ultimate mission or goal in these verses (v. 21)?
3. How do these verses speak to you (encourage and/or challenge)? How might you respond in faithfulness to God’s work in the world.

Notes

1. God’s work is Spirit-empowered and done through the Church. The Spirit of God is empowering individual believers to bring forth the Kingdom of God as they do life together in community. This is done as believers prophesy (see as God sees and speak accordingly), dream dreams (of life in the Kingdom of God) and see visions (of God’s wisdom for our present time). These verses teach us that God’s Kingdom and God’s work in the world is available to all people (vs. 17). God’s Spirit is doesn’t discriminate but moves powerfully through any willing participant. The intentional naming of specific groups makes this point clear.  The mention of sons and daughters eliminates limitations based on gender. The mention of young and old eliminates limitations based on age. And the mention of servants eliminates limitations based on class or social status. All are invited into the Kingdom and all can be empowered by the Spirit to do God’s work in the world.   
2. Salvation is available to all who will come because God’s goal is to save the world and redeem all of Creation.
3. Maybe you don’t feel empowered by the Holy Spirit. Maybe you’re not sure God can work through you. Maybe you’re learning for the first time that God’s Spirit can move powerfully through all people. Maybe you’ve become distracted or disconnected from God’s work in the world. Wherever you are, ask God to speak to you in light of the passage above.

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Evening Reflection

Tonight, we’ll end the day reflecting on the final segment of this passage: 2:46-47:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

What do you think it means for believers to be together and have everything in common? What, if anything, keeps you from this kind of radical togetherness? How can you live out the heart of these verses in your present context?

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Encountering God in Slovakia”

Proverbs 19:21

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

There are times when God clearly reveals Himself to remind and reassure us that He is sovereign. Through circumstances, He lets us know that He is still in control and is working through His perfect plans.  Those encounters with God build our confidence in Him.

After finishing college, I spent a year as a mission intern in Eastern Europe. One weekend, I was on my way back from Germany to the town of Komarno, Slovakia where I was living. The train ride was about 16 hours long, and unfortunately, this was the time with no smartphones, tablets, mp3 players, etc. So what can one do other than stare out the window?

For the most part of the trip, I was alone. Even when other passengers came into my 6-seater cabin, there wasn’t really a way of communicating, so I just continued to stare out the window to the landscape of Slovakia. The train must have passed by numerous small towns, the kind of towns that an urbanite would ask, “Why would anyone live here?”

As a mission intern, I couldn’t help but to think, “Lord, what about these people? How will they ever know who You are? Who will ever come to share the gospel in such a remote place?” As the long trip home continued, those thoughts and questions continued to circulate in my mind to the point that they began to trouble me.

With no clear answers to such questions, I arrived at my final transfer city, where the last train would not depart for another three hours; and then finally, I would arrive home in two hours.  Since it was late evening, there were only a few passengers traveling, and again, without much else to do, I sat on a depot bench with my small Bible open on my lap. I would like to tell you that I was reading and meditating, but I think I was just staring into the pages, still wondering whether the people in the small remote towns were hopelessly beyond the reach of the good news.

Suddenly, two young men approached me. One of them actually spoke just enough English and some German so that we were able to carry out some small talk. I supposed there were two noticeable factors as to why they took interest in talking with me:  First, I was Asian, and I don’t believe that was common in the area at the time. Second, I believe the compact Bible sitting on my lap caught their attention, because one of the men asked me what book I was reading, and I told him that it was the Bible. They smiled, which was actually unusual in that culture at that time. Again, with their broken English and German, my elementary Slovakian language, lots of hand gestures, and what seemed to be a game of charades, they communicated that they, too, were believers. As we continued our slow conversation, I found out they were returning home from their church. Their home was a small town two hours away from the train station; probably one of the remote towns that I had passed on my journey.

In that conversation, I felt as though I had encountered God. He was not only answering my questions, but He was reassuring me that He had all things under control, that no city or town would go unnoticed from His love and care. I only met two, but I’m sure God had many more. I would take the final leg of my train ride home with a sense of joyful trust in a God whose plans and purposes always prevails.

As I continue to serve the Lord, I try to avoid two extremes: One is passivity, where I think God doesn’t need us so why do anything at all. The other is extreme activity, where I think that it’s all up to me. It’s not easy, but I would rather serve the Lord diligently, but all the while with a joyful trust in God who accomplishes His purposes in a world full of cities and towns and villages that He loved so much that He gave His Son.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me strength and wisdom to avoid a faith of passivity and extreme activity.  Instead, empower me to serve You diligently with a joyful trust.  Thank You for loving me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 5

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Be Spiritually Smart”

Matt. 14:22-26

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.

At times, we are so full of ourselves that we cannot see what’s really in our hearts.  Our growing accomplishments and burgeoning bank accounts have gone to our heads; we really think we are something to behold.  Yuck!  And that’s one reason God “tests our hearts” (1 Thess. 2:4).

When Jesus, before feeding the 5,000, tested Philip (“He only asked this to test him”), asking, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat,” the Lord “already had in mind what he was going to do” (Jn. 6:6).  Then why test him?  One reason: Jesus gave his man a chance to see for himself what was truly in his heart. In this case, Philip’s answer that showed his lack of faith (“Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite”—Jn. 6:7) revealed that he wasn’t all that great!

What does this all mean?  What Jesus saw in his disciples were men who could do nothing apart from him (Jn. 15:5).  In contrast, his men, often “argu[ing] about who was greatest” (Mk. 9:34), saw things differently! So confident of their own abilities, one day, two of them, John and James, made a stunning request to Jesus: “We want you to do for us whatever we ask . . . Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory” (Mk. 10:35, 37).  Yes, something had to be done to let the air out of their swelled head.   

So, one day, Jesus let his men row a boat in high winds, without him, into the wee hours of the night. The result?  These veteran fishermen behaved like children, crying out in fear when they mistook Jesus walking on water as a ghost.  And after rowing for about 7-8 hours, they covered only about 3.5 miles (Jn. 6:19). In this way Jesus showed them that they weren’t all that great. But once the Lord, after having calmed the storm and assured the disciples (“It is I. Don’t be afraid”—Mk. 6:50), entered the boat, it “immediately reached the shore where they were heading” (Jn. 6:21).  To put it differently, without Jesus, the disciples, whose favorite pastime was arguing about who was the greatest, were stuck and going nowhere fast; with Him on board they quickly reached their destination.

Of course, it is because we are often oblivious to our own pride and self-sufficiency that God stirs up storms in our lives (a.k.a., test) to get us to see what’s really lurking in our hearts.  At the very least, COVID-19, a tsunami of our lives, should be serving that purpose for all of us.  So let us be spiritually smart by humbling ourselves before the Lord—Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:10)—and reach our “destination” promptly.

Prayer: Dear God, open wide my dull eyes so I can see the true condition of my heart.  Help me to renounce arrogance and self-sufficiency; empower me, instead, to cling unto You and rely on the sufficiency of Christ.  Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 3-4

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Cami King who serves as associate pastor at Remnant Church in Manhattan.  She is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“What Is Our Witness?”

Acts 1:8; 2:5-13

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” . . . 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

A topic of much discussion at the present moment is how will churches respond to our current global crisis. There are those who feel we waited too long to close our doors (signaling a lack of consideration for the surrounding community) and others who feel churches shouldn’t close their doors at all (because it signals faithless and fear). There are those who believe we should all just stay at home (respecting city mandates out of care for our neighbors) and others who feel it’s our duty to be out and about looking for ways to serve. There are those who feel we should double down and lean into the Lenten Season, not focusing so much attention on the anxiety of a global pandemic (because God knew it was coming) and others who believe it’s best to embrace the present moment, abandon all regularly scheduled programming and lean fully in (because can move uniquely in this time).

There are many convictions, judgements and opinions, many of which are valid, albeit varied, and rooted in the best of intentions. Yet at the heart of them all is the issue of witness. How will the church bear witness in a season of suffering and uncertainty? You may have heard stories of Early Church Christians who responded to plagues by staying behind to care the sick, almost always at the expense of their own lives. Their witness has stood the test of time – their actions a tangible and distinct display of God’s love. While we’re not facing a plague and we thankfully have modern healthcare systems that can, for the most part, support the sick during a pandemic, the question of witness still stands.

When we think about our Christian witness, we often think in terms of something we should be doing. But the New Testament usually uses “witness” to describe what Christians are. In other words, our lives are saying something about Jesus regardless of what we do. Thus, witness is not primarily a matter of doing (figuring out the right thing to do amid crisis), but a matter of being (what we call in the Church Christian formation). Are we the kind of people God can move through when the need arises? Better yet, are we the kind of people God is already moving through for the sake of the life of the world?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You have sent me into the world to be a light and a blessing. May my faithfulness in even the most menial tasks and during the most trying times be pleasing unto You and a blessing to those around me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 2

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Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:1-3, 12-17: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart . . . 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. 14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

Question to Consider

1. What is the context of the instructions above? (i.e. what does the writer mean when saying “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses?) Why is this important.
2. What instructions are given in verses 1-3? What is the difference between weights and sin?
3. What instructions are given in verses 14-17? What’s at stake if believers fail to heed these warnings?
4. In what ways do you need to strengthen feeble limbs and make straight paths for your feet (verses 12-13)? What are the weights slowing you down? What are the sins over which you need victory? In what ways do you need to pursue peace, extend grace, or practice self-discipline?

Notes

1. In the previous chapters the writer of Hebrews outlines a list of believers who leveraged their lives and ultimately died in faithful anticipation of God’s redemptive work in the world (God’s plan of salvation through Jesus and coming Kingdom through the Church). Their stories give us hope and confidence as we do the same.
2. (1) Throw of every weight and the sin that clings closely. (2) Run with endurance – we do this by fixing our eyes on Jesus who is not only the object of our faith but our greatest example of a faithful life. Sin is missing the mark of God design for creation or falling short of God’s law. Sins are specific and well-articulated in the Bible. Weights, on the other hand, can be neutral things, even good things, that are simply hindering our ability to run well the race before us (distracting or restricting our ability to faithfully follow Jesus).
3. (1) Make every effort to live in peace with everyone – if we don’t, it will be hard for others to see God through us. (2) Be gracious with one another – if we don’t, bitterness and division will rise up and destroy fellowship. (3) Do not be controlled by the passions of your body or self-indulgence – if we are, we risk missing out on the blessings of God.
4. Spend time in prayerful reflection.

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Evening Reflection

Let’s end day by way of reflecting on Acts 2:44-45.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

What do you think it means for believers to be together and have everything in common? What, if anything, keeps you from this kind of radical togetherness? How can you live out the heart of these verses in your present context?

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), is an updated version of his blog first posted on February 28, 2013.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Avoid the Bible’s Unintended Effect”

Psalm 19:12-14

By [God’s laws] is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors?  Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Inventors are often horrible predictors of how their inventions would eventually be used.  Consider Gutenberg (1400-68), a devout Catholic, whose invention of mechanical movable print led to the Printing Revolution.  Its social impact was greater in scale than that of the internet because, overnight, staggering number of printed books became available for the common people to read—including the Bible that the Catholic Church once placed on the list of forbidden books. Unbeknownst to Gutenberg, he inadvertently played a key role of ushering in the Protestant Reformation rooted in the belief that every believer should read the Bible for him- or herself.     

The same can be said about Christian schools.  Sure, sending our kids to Christian schools is a blessing, but it has certain drawbacks (i.e., unintended effect).  When young people, without any personal experience with God, regularly study doctrine and memorize verses as part of classroom activity (which is possible because we all have bibles—thanks to Gutenberg), this familiarity, in time, can breed contempt for sermons, as in “I heard that before” or “I already know it.” As a result, the heart becomes unresponsive to God’s word and the Spirit’s leading.  I would dub that as “the Bible’s unintended effect.”

But today’s Psalm shows why God said that David was “a man after my own heart.” In short, he was like a child before God, hiding nothing and always desiring to please the LORD in all that he did, including every word he spoke.  We know all too well David’s failures later in his life, but we also know that he always found his way back to God, confessing his sins and seeking forgiveness.

Knowledge, of which our brain has plenty—again, thanks to Gutenberg, and now the internet, can puff us up, but with a broken and contrite heart, God will not despise (Ps. 51:17).  How is your heart?  Has it hardened? Ask God to soften it!  Then read the Bible which will now become the nourishment to your soul.

Prayer: Dear LORD, I lift up Your holy name on high this morning in recognition of Your patience and tolerance.  How many times have I been inattentive to sermons, thinking that I knew more than the preacher or I heard this before. God, thank You for forgiving my haughtiness; please replace it with the heart of a child so that I, too, can become a man after God’s own heart.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 1

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 22:23-30: The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” 29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

Questions to Consider

1. Jesus made this statement to the Sadducees.  Who were they (look it up) and why was this remark so stunning?
2. Jesus made another stunning statement, this time to the Jews who knew the Law (Jn. 5:37-40, 45-47)?  What does this imply?
3. Merely having the right info about God is not enough; our heart needs to be like God’s.  What does it look like (Mt. 18:1-5)?

Notes

1. The Sadducees were a religious party (of Judaism) of learned men who accepted only the written Torah as their authority and rejected all “oral” Torah or later traditions.  In some sense, they held the “conservative” line of interpretation because they heavily emphasized the first five books of the OT. What was so stunning was that Jesus said to these learned men that they didn’t know the Scriptures.
2. A similar thing happened here: While acknowledging that the Jews have diligently studied the Scriptures, Jesus stated that they didn’t actually believe anything they had read and studied.  Had they believed, then they would have accepted Christ since Moses wrote about him. This implies that merely having the right knowledge does not result in faith; rather, it may become quite harmful.
3. The heart that God wants us to have is the heart of a child, i.e., a humble heart. (“Whoever humbles himself like this child . . .”). That means we are never too spiritual to not repent and never too smart to not learn from others.

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Evening Reflection

Have you gotten much out of Sunday sermons recently?  Before blaming the preacher, let’s examine our own hearts.  Did some things (e.g., attitude, habit, preoccupation) already predispose you from really listening and engaging with what was said?  Be honest.

Meditate: “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” Where is your heart?

Anyway, another day has come and gone, and for some of us, hearts remain restless. Why?  As you recount this day, share your thoughts here.

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Cami King who serves as associate pastor at Remnant Church in Manhattan.  She is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“What Will We Choose?”

Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

In Acts 2, The followers of Jesus find themselves in a moment not unlike our own as they were facing a season of uncertainty, anxiety, fear, and confusion. Jesus was executed and their movement rendered them enemies of Empire (both State and Temple) and thus endangered their lives. And to make matters worse, after resurrecting, Jesus subsequently ascended, leaving them with nothing but hope and His promises of a Spirit that would come (but none of them actually knew what Jesus meant by this).

They were anxious. Worried and fearful, they huddled together waiting to see how everything would play out. They were unsure. They were faithful, but unsure. Although they knew the Spirit would come, no one knew how or when or what the Spirit’s coming would mean. They were fearful. Their lives were at risk. Not by the threat of a global pandemic but by the threat of violence from the Empire. They were confused. Armed with the command to be a witness, no one knew what they were actually supposed to do.

In the face of anxiety and uncertainty —these followers of Jesus chose two important things: togetherness and anticipation. They chose to be together— praying for one another and reminding each other of the Jesus they loved and the things he taught them. They stirred their hearts toward anticipation of what God promised to do, readying themselves and waiting expectantly. And, when the Spirit did finally come, they were able to bear witness in their local community both in word and in deed (see Acts 2 & 3).

What will we choose in our moment of anxiety and uncertainty? Will we choose togetherness – finding creative ways through technology and virtual connectivity to encourage and support one another? Will we turn our thoughts and energies toward anticipation of how God might move through us in this season, reminding ourselves of God’s promises and redemptive work in the world? Will we ready ourselves and stay alert? And when the opportunity arises, will we sense the Spirit moving and move too – in love and compassion, hope and healing for our neighbors?

We can choose to see our present moment as a profound opportunity, an invitation even. Amid a global pandemic and on the tail end of the Lenten season, may the Church be sobered into reflection, repentance, and renewal, remembering who we are and why we are here.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your and gentleness and compassion from which I benefit everyday. Open my eyes to see all life around me—especially amid our chaotic world—the way you do. Help my heart to be so full of your kindness and compassion that it marks my dealings with all that You’ve created.  Help me to choose You everyday. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 66

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 5:1-2, 15-20: Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God . . . 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Question to Consider

1. According to verses 1-2, how do we walk in the way of love? Why is it important that we do this “as dearly loved children”?
2. What are Paul’s instructions in verses 15-20 and how is each of these commands to be carried out?
3. In the rest of chapter 5, Paul offers practical steps he believed would help the recipients of his letter in Ephesus to “walk in the way of love” in their context and “make the most of every opportunity” in their time. Considering your context and our present time, what practical steps might you take to “walk in the way of love” and “make the most of every opportunity” today?

Notes

1. We walk in the way of love by giving ourselves up (as a fragrant offering – Romans 12:1-2) to God for the sake of others. Jesus modeled for us love that is self-sacrificial and not self-serving. We are to immolate this example in our relationships with one another. This kind of love is sustainable only when we are secure in our identity (as God’s children) and assured that we are loved (by God) and empowered by the Spirit (who lives in the children of God).
2. (1) Be careful how you live – we do this by seeking out wisdom and making the most of every opportunity. Paul is calling for thoughtfulness and intentionality and awareness. (2) Understand what the Lord’s will is – we do this by seeking wisdom (knowing how to apply God’s truth to the present moment), which is the opposite of foolishness. (3) Be filled with the Spirit – we do this by speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and songs. We must encourage each another with God’s word and through God’s Spirit. (4) Praise and thank God for everything – we can do this because we know that in all things God works for good (Rom. 8:28).
3. Personal Reflection. To start, it may be helpful to identify the people around you (who you are called to love) and the opportunities before you. Ask God what practical steps you can take in light of those people and opportunities.

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Evening Reflection 

Let’s end the day by way of reflecting on Acts 2:42-43. We will consider the rest of the passage on this Friday and the following Monday, respectively.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

To what are you devoted? It may help to think about how you spent your time today or how you spend your time in an average week. It might also help to think about what typically occupies your thoughts on any given day. How might you practice devotion to the Church and the work of God through your local church community, particularly in a season of social distancing?