September 2, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time, originally posted on August 29, 2018, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Better Days Coming”  

Jeremiah 33:14-15 (NIV)

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. 15 “‘In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land.

Survey: If an expectant mother listens to Mozart, will her child actually be smarter when he/she is born? (If you are curious, feel free to search for “Mozart Effect” later for all kinds of responses.) 

All parents long for a better and brighter future for their children. Parents hope that their children will not make the same mistakes they’ve made along the way. Parents hope that their children will have richer relationships than they’ve built. Parents hope that their children will discover a deeper satisfaction in their vocation. And so forth. With those aspirations in mind, parents today will go over and beyond (convinced by every book on raising kids) attempting to provide their children with a perfect combination of educational classes, physical activities, music lessons, healthy foods, virtuous friendships, etc. to ensure the success of their children. But what if a better future of our children can only be guaranteed by the Lord? 

The people of Judah were heading into impending doom and punishment. For 70 years, they would be captives under Babylonian Empire (Jer 29:10). This was the discipline for the people of God as a result of their disobedience and idolatry. However, at the end of 70 years, Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem once again will be inhabited and restored. The Lord would not abandon His people; rather, he will “fulfill the good promise.”

For all of the Jewish parents, this was good news. Not only will their children (and grandchildren) have a better future, but they would have a reestablished spiritual future. God would raise a “righteous Branch” from the line of King David who would restore God’s justice and righteousness. (We now understand that that was a prophetic reference to Jesus Christ.) This was a guarantee from the Lord. Parent who were held in Babylonian captivity were given the good news to remind their children that a better future was soon coming, that a better spiritual future is just around the corner. The parents pointed the children towards a line of David because only He would guarantee a better future. 

Perhaps a child may be smarter for having listened to Mozart while in the mother’s womb. But I guarantee that any child will stand in justice and righteousness if he/she encounters Jesus Christ. 

Prayer: Lord, You promised that You would one day return and bring back the fulness of God’s Kingdom. Thank you for this promise and the good news. I pray that Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as is in Heaven. In Jesus Name, Amen! 

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 3:1-2 (CEB): My son, don’t forget my instruction. Let your heart guard my commands, 2 because they will help you live a long time and provide you with well-being.

Prov 26:10 (NIV): Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Questions to Consider

  • What helps young children to eventually live a long and well-being life (another translation suggest “successful” life)? 
  • What are the potential outcomes for a young child’s life when raised in the Lord’s instructions? 
  • Are there exceptions to the rule (good parentinggood kids; bad parentingbad kids)? Think of King Saul, an unrighteous king, and his son Jonathan who stood for God’s righteousness throughout his short life (1 Sam. 23:16-18). What does that mean? 

Notes

  • To not forget God’s instructions. To guard God’s commands in their hearts. Starting with God’s commands as children. 
  • Although wisdom literature does not make absolute guarantees, one can expect to live a long life of well-being and remain on the path of wisdom. 
  • Having good kids is also God’s grace, a merited favor. 

Evening Reflection

In what ways have you invested into the next generation with God’s word? (Parents, spend a few moments reading God’s word.)

September 1, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 27, 2018, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Voila Moment”

Ephesians 5:25-27

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

During the holidays, I often feel sorry for my wife, who prepares most of our meals.  The reason being is that preparing quality meals seems like such a painstaking and time-consuming process, while the actual enjoyment of eating lasts significantly less.  So a couple days ago, to prepare our Christmas dinner, my wife was probably in the kitchen for a solid 3-4 hours, but actually sitting down to eat took maybe 20 minutes.  I often offer my wife the out, that we can order out, but she won’t have it.  For her, she wants to have that “Voila!” moment when her family takes that first bite, and she can see that all of efforts have culminated all of her loved ones happy and surrounded by great food.  I think this “Voila” moment is what chefs live for.  

When I think about what the Lord is doing for his church, I also think of this long painstaking process, which kind of seems inefficient, if you ask me.  I mean think about how difficult people are; how petty we can be—how selfish, unforgiving, childish, stubborn, sometimes even malicious.  Yet, our passage tells us that what Christ is doing with us (his church) is that he is making us holy, cleansing us through his word, making us clean and perfect, so that one day he can present us and say, “Voila!” 

And that voila moment is “the Marriage of Supper of Lamb,” which the apostle John describes it in the following manner: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel saidto me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb’” (Rev. 19:6b-8).

And the major difference between what happened at our dinner table and at the Marriage of Supper of Lamb is the “payoff”: the joy won’t last a mere 20 minutes like a holiday feast, but an eternity.  What a blessing! Thank you, Jesus!  

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are patiently making me more and more into Your image.  Please allow me to submit myself to Your work and thank You for the person that I will one day be.  

Bible Reading for Today:  2 Kings 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 27:1-6: “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. 2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. 3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both. 4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? 5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. 6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

Questions to Consider

  • What can we learn about boasting from this passage?  And in what ways do we “boast”?
  • What are the dangers of anger, fury, and jealousy?
  • Taken together, vs. 5-6 give characteristics of true friends and enemies.  What are they and how do you compare as a friend?

Notes

  • Boasting, a form of pride should be avoided.  The Proverbs writer shows the folly of boasting about tomorrow, much like James reminds us in James 4:13-16, because we have no control over the next day.  Verse 2 implies that self-promotion is another form of boasting; let others compliment you.  
  • In vs. 3-4, anger and jealousy are compared to something heavy that we carry around us.  Isn’t the imagery so true because anger and jealousy often feel like a weight that slows us down.  
  • Friends speak truthfully even if it is hard to hear sometimes.  Enemies are like “yes men”, they may make you feel smart and good, but their words don’t help much.  

Evening Reflection

This morning we talking about the Lord’s patience with us and our slow transformation, and this afternoon we highlighted some potential areas of struggle, such as boasting/pride, anger, jealousy, and truthfulness.  Are any of these areas you’d like to progress in?  If so, remember transformation may be slow, but Christ is in it for the long haul.  

August 31, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on July 15, 2018, is written by Tina Pham who, along with her family, is serving in E. Asia as a missionary. Tina is a graduate of Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Being a Servant Whom My Master Trusts” 

John 10:40-42 

And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” 42 Many believed in Him there.

During a four-month hiatus between the mission field and stepping into my current job, I didn’t have any concrete plans for what I would do after my time-off. A close friend wrote to me, saying, “I can’t wait for what God has in store for you. I think He trusts you so much.” I was overwhelmed with this encouragement—even though I didn’t deserve such a comment. But her words led me to ponder about the nature of trust in my relationship to Jesus. I always knew following Jesus involved me trusting Jesus, while Jesus leads; however, I never interacted with the possibility of Jesus trusting me. Why would Jesus trust me? It’s not like He needs to rely on me or count on me. I thought trust is one-way, from me to Him, since all the power and strength is in Him anyways. In diving more into this perspective, I realized that our relationship with Jesus is not only a love relationship between the Redeemer and the redeemed, but it is indeed also a trust relationship between Master and servant, as many of Jesus’ teachings, such as the parable of the talents (Mt. 25:14-30), teach so clearly.

In this morning’s passage, Jesus leaves Jerusalem, as more religious teachers were questioning His authority and angered by His teachings; yet many outside of Jerusalem were placing their belief in Him. The passage testifies that John the Baptist was integral in leading these people to Christ. Though they didn’t believe in Jesus immediately after listening to John’s witness, but eventually, they realized “everything John said about this man was true.” John the Baptist never performed a miracle. He was simply a voice that talked about the Light, and he was content to be a voice, without a ministry of signs and wonders, as long as it caused people to consider Christ. Jesus says about John, “Among those born of women, there is no one greater” (Luke 7:28). Jesus must have trusted John so much, for he completed the work that God entrusted to him—nothing more, and nothing less. In being trustworthy to his Master, he led people to know Christ for themselves. This morning, as we long to deepen our trust in Jesus, let us consider also how we can live a life as trustworthy servants.  

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me unconditionally and also entrusting Your precious work to me. Give me understanding for how to steward my time, resources, and energy, so that I may use all that I have to Your service. Help me to consider how to be a trustworthy servant for You today. In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 17

August 30, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, which was originally posted on June 23, 2018, is provided by a writer who wants to remain anonymous. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Hinders Our Spiritual Growth”

1 Peter 1:13-21

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 ywho through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Summer is here, and there are probably some of us who are hoping to become healthier and fit. There are many ways to get there. One option is to go on a crash diet, where we restrict ourselves of food, and exercise without proper nutrition. But most of us may already know this option is neither sustainable nor even healthy. The other option is to start a lifestyle change and adopt better eating and exercise habits. This results in improved health and fitness. The resolve to become healthier, or grow in any aspect of our lives, is great. However, we see here that it’s important not only to want to grow, but also to know the right way to do it.

In our passage today, Peter makes it clear that believers should not be conformed to the passions of our former lives, but to our new life in Jesus Christ (v.14). He calls us to be holy as He who has called us is holy (v.16). How do we do so? Peter instructs us to prepare our minds for action, be sober-minded, and set our hope fully on the coming grace and glory of Jesus Christ. We are to acknowledge and fear God, knowing that He ransomed us with the greatest cost—the precious blood of Jesus Christ. It’s awesome that we want to grow in faith and holiness, and maybe some of us are taking next steps to do so. However, let’s remember that the power lies not in what we can do, but to who are our eyes and hearts set on.

In our pursuit of spiritual growth, it’s easy to get caught up in less important measures. Do I sound like I know what I’m doing more as a Family Group leader? Have I finally stopped sinning in this way? Does my Instagram make me seem holy? Instead, let’s ask ourselves this: Are my eyes fixed on the coming hope and glory of Jesus Christ? Do I know that no matter what happens that I have been ransomed with the blood of Christ? Is my greatest hope not in this world, but in the coming Kingdom of God? 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us to see where You are growing us in faith and holiness in our current season of life. Thank You that as we fix our eyes on You and Your promises, You fill us with faith and transform us. Help us to walk through this day in confidence of that. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 15-16

August 29, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 13, 2018, is written by Phillip Chen, who has been serving as the associate pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego for many years. He and several like-minded people are planting, the Lord willing, a new AMI church in Houston this summer. Please pray for them.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“You’re Better Than That!”

Ephesians 4:1-7 (ESV)

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

One of the pastors that I work with likes to say, “Come on, you’re better than that,” when I do or say something dumb. Normally, this phrase has a negative connotation, but I think it can also be seen as an encouragement. When Paul says, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,” I can imagine him saying, “Come on, church of Ephesus, you’re better than that.” 

Paul has spent quite some time laying down the groundwork for the believers to understand their identity in Christ, their relationship with God, and their relationship with one another. They are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God; they are no longer divided, but they are one body, Jews and Gentiles alike; and they are all heirs in the kingdom of God—they are royalty! I want to highlight what Paul says here, because I believe that there is a need for the church to wake up and start walking in a manner worthy of our calling. 

The crux of this passage is Paul’s encouragement for the church to act like a church, by loving one another and maintaining unity through peace. Where do you think he got this idea? Right before Jesus was about to be arrested, He prayed for His disciples and those that would come to believe Him—this is referred to as the high priestly prayer. He prays that the church would be one just as the Father and He are one. We know how elusive unity within the body can be. When things are going well, it’s easy to maintain peace and walk in unity, but the moment things start souring, the moment disputes arise, we see the ugliness of division and hostility towards one another. 

Scripture commands us to be eager to maintain this unity and to bear with one another in love. What practical way can we do this? We can start by deliberately choosing not to be offended. We can choose to take a loss for the sake of unity. We can even choose to humble ourselves to serve others, even when they are undeserving of it. This is the high calling that the Body of Christ is called to. 

Prayer: Father God, help us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling that we’ve been called to. Remind us of our identity as sons and daughters of You, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Help us to treat one another with love and respect, eager to maintain unity through peace, and bearing one another’s burdens with love. Fill us and fill our churches so that we may be one as You are one. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 14

Lunch Break Study

Read John 17:20-23 (ESV): “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

Question to Consider

1. Who is Jesus praying for?

2. What does Jesus pray for the church to be like?

3. What are ways that you could promote unity within your church? As Jesus desires the church to be one, do you also desire unity among your church (and the many churches in our midst)?

Notes

1. Jesus is not only praying for the disciples who were there, but for all who will believe in Him through the words of the disciples. Basically, He is praying for the Universal Church – every single person who will come into a living relationship with Him and with the church.   

2. He prays that they would be one just as the Father and He are one. This is deeply profound in that He desires the church would reflect the union that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit has, which has been a perfect union since before time existed. He mentions that this is so that the world would see how the Father sent the Son and loves His people.   

3. Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Our passage for the morning carries an admonishment for the church of Ephesus, because they were not behaving like a church that was loving one another and maintaining unity through peace.  We also need to ask ourselves: Are we behaving like people of God? Are we walking in a manner worthy of the calling in which we have been called to? Have we responded to God’s grace and mercy towards us with gratefulness and a desire to change? May Paul’s words ring true for us today, that we would understand our identity as sons and daughters of God, and that we would begin to start walking in this identity. 

August 28, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 28, 2018, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Am Better Than You”

James 3:17-18 (NASB)

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Throughout my study of philosophy in undergrad, I had some amazing professors. They were amazing not just because of their grasp of the subject matter but because of the humble and inquisitive manner in which they taught. This had a deep impact on my own pursuit of wisdom. However, despite their positive impression on me, I distinctly remember a time when I refuse to follow their example. 

For some odd reason, I needed to take a 100-level philosophy course in my final semester of college. Being the “big bad” senior who had already finished his senior project for my major, I strolled into this class, ready to “educate” the freshman that filled this 100-level course. I scoffed at their attempts of putting on their berets and “philosophizing.” Every comment they made that didn’t agree with my reading of the material, I quickly interjected my “superior deducing abilities,” refuting in a tactful-yet-passive-aggressive way why they were just plain wrong.

The reason I still remember that class today is because of the sheer arrogance and foolishness I see in my heart. Philosophy (philo – love, sophia – wisdom) is the love of wisdom. But I had weaponized it to put others down. It is quite the indictment when we read James’ description of the wisdom that comes from above—it is first and foremost pure, that is, morally blameless. This wisdom is peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. The “wisdom” I displayed in class was not this. And the thrust of James’ message is that the wisdom not from above is not only useless, but it is earthly, natural, demonic. 

True wisdom is one that makes peace with people. It is one that builds up someone. It shows mercy. It bears good fruit. It comes from a place of humility because we recognize that this wisdom is truly not from ourselves but from above, the Giver of every good and perfect gift. 

The question for us today is again concerning the condition of our hearts. When we reflect upon the wisdom by which we navigate through life, especially in our interactions with others, does it reflect a worldly wisdom that is harsh and rigid? Or does it reflect the wisdom from above, pure and full of mercy? Perhaps today’s passage is calling us to turn away from that which is worldly to claim that which is heavenly.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that You give generously and without reproach Your wisdom to those who ask for it. We reject the earthly, demonic wisdom that causes strife and division amongst us. We reject the arrogance and hypocrisy of this wisdom in exchange for Your pure, peaceable, merciful wisdom. Help us to live out of this wisdom today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 13

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 8:1b: We know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Questions to Consider

  • Focusing on the language used by Paul in 8:1b, what can we understand of worldly wisdom/knowledge?
  • Why do you think Paul writes in 13:1-2 that wisdom and knowledge alone results in “nothing”?
  • What can we infer about the nature of the Giver of wisdom and His desire for us?

Notes

  • The language used here juxtaposes “puff” and “build”. The former is big but insubstantial. Whereas it is frail and can be deflated, love solidifies and enhances. Love builds something that is lasting.
  • Love is the vehicle upon which wisdom and knowledge can be shared in a manner that is, as the passage in James teaches us, pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy, etc. Without love, knowledge and understanding remains as is—static and without effect.
  • It points us to a God who not only is the Giver of wisdom but is wisdom as well as love. It teaches us of a God whose wisdom leads us to His love. Thus, God gives us this wisdom so that we may learn to love and build up others. This wisdom and knowledge are not meant to remain static. It calls us to action. 

Evening Reflection

As you think about today, were there moments when God revealed His wisdom that led you to a greater understanding of His love? As you think about the way God’s wisdom has built you up, pray and ask the Lord to give you an opportunity to use that wisdom to build up someone else.

August 27, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional was originally posted on December 19, 2018.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Loving God with our Minds” 

Read Luke 10:27 (ESV)

“And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’”

The story is all too common. A child is raised in a loving Christian home, grows up in the church, develops deep and close relationships with the congregation and when the time comes, leaves home for college. However, in school, the young student fills one of his elective slots with a religions class where the professor lays into Christianity, outlining its contradictions, borrowed mythology and overwhelmingly negative sociological impact. He is never the same again. He comes home after his first year with more questions than a busy parent or pastor cares to answer, and slowly but surely, the once Christ-grounded child loses his faith and turns away from the church. 

When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus answers: “Love God with all of their being and love their neighbor as themselves.” While the average person does well to love the Lord with the first three items, the tragedy of the hypothetical above can become a reality if we fail to love God with our minds. JP Moreland (Talbot School of Theology) writes, “That the mind is the crucial component in the spiritual journey cannot be accurately denied.” Truly there is something to it, as an estimated 70% of college students leave the faith. Institutions of higher learning are a wonderful place of knowledge and exchanging of ideas, but with the marginalization of the Christian worldview so great, it is more critical than ever that church leaders teach their people how to love God fully, minds included. 

So what does loving God with your mind look like? A long-lost spiritual discipline is study. Pastor Peter (Kairos) describes the spiritual disciplines as the “wax on, wax off” parts of the faith—meaning, performing them seemingly serves no purpose until the occasion in which they’re useful arises. While not everyone needs to think through the faith to the degree of someone like C. S. Lewis, it is vital that, at minimum, we keep ourselves grounded in the Word while seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit. By engaging the faith with our minds, we give the Spirit another piece of ourselves to step into and work His wonders. The Holy Spirit can teach us how to speak of Jesus to unbelievers, how to disciple our immediate and church family members and even defend the faith, if necessary, from opposition. Just as we have done so, so easily with our hearts, let’s give our minds over to the Lord as well. Let’s love Him with all of our being, as commanded.

Prayer: Father, Your Word and Your truth have been under attack since the beginning. We know You are there, we feel You and we praise You. Please help us to love You fully, with everything we are. Holy Spirit, we ask that You move in, and shape our minds to Your will. All for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 1:1-7: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; 4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— 5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, 6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Questions to consider

  • What is the beginning of knowledge?
  • What is King Solomon’s goal(s) in writing these proverbs?
  • Which of King Solomon’s goals would you like to work towards in your life?

Notes

  • The beginning of knowledge is “the fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7). King Solomon goes on to note only a fool rejects wisdom or instruction, thereby advocating for the spiritual discipline of study.
  • In general, King Solomon seeks to increase and refine his vast knowledge and gift of godly wisdom in order to best serve God and His people. I am particularly invested in verses four and five, as I hope to be able to help equip fellow Christians moving forward.
  • Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Romans 12:2 reads, “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” According to Moreland, the Greek word Paul uses here is nous, which means “the intellect, reason, or the faculty of understanding,” (Moreland 2012: 65). What changes can you pray for God renew your mind with? 

August 26, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s Devotional Thought for Food, originally posted December 4, 2018, is provided by Andy Kim. Andy is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What’s God’s Will for My Life?”

Ephesians 1:11-14

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Growing up, I wanted to be so many things—a policeman, a racecar driver, and an architect. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Oh, the good days, where the sky was the limit to our wildest dreams! It’s interesting that even at a young age, there’s this underlying question driving all of us: what is the purpose of my life? And as believers, we tend to rephrase it as, What is God’s will for my life?  Yet it’s a question that brings more frustration than motivation for many of us. Every major step we take, we wrestle with the question: Is this God’s will for me? 

In today’s passage, Paul has an answer for us. Those who have been chosen by Him have been also predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Notice that Paul writes, who works all things: not just the good things in our lives, but also the things we may consider bad. In fact in Romans 8:28 Paul assures us “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” But if we’re not careful, we may use verses like these to justify the bad decisions we make. God doesn’t necessarily justify the bad things in our lives; instead, He chooses to redeem them for a greater purpose beyond our understanding. While the specifics may be unclear in the moment, one thing we know for sure: He wills so that our lives may be for the praise of His glory. 

It is both humbling and freeing for us, and yet it also brings us the utmost confidence, for this promise is given to those who have been called by Him and love Him. Rather than being paralyzed with this question of what is God’s will in our lives, we can put our trust in Him—that in all things He is working for our good. Whatever season we may be in, know that He is doing something good. Our job is to be faithful to what He is doing now. May we continue to obey and follow after Him! 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that You see the greater picture of our lives. Though we only see a glimpse, I pray that we may be faithful and obedient to where You have called us now. Holy Spirit remind us and assure us that nothing can thwart God’s will being done in our lives. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 11

Lunch Break Study

Read Joshua 5:13-15: When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Additional Context: After this encounter, God reveals the plan to conquer Jericho. God commands them to march around the city once for six days. Then on the seventh day, they were to march around the walls seven times. On the seventh time, God commands them to shout and that the walls would fall down flat. 

Questions to Consider

  • Imagine yourself in Joshua’s position, hearing God’s plan to overtake this formidable city of Jericho: How would you respond? How did Joshua respond?
  • How does worship give Joshua the confidence to submit to His plan? 
  • When God asks you to do something, what is your response? What are the areas where you are refusing to submit? 

Notes

  • The Scriptures are filled with God revealing some of the most ridiculous and extra-ordinary plans. Yet for those who receive these plans, it is in the place of worship that enables them to submit to God’s will. In worship, Joshua is able to submit to God’s will. 
  • Joshua comes before the Lord with his face to the earth. This teaches us that worship begins with our humble submission to the Lord. God also commands Joshua to take of his sandals, since he was standing was holy ground. Worship drives us into the presence of God and His presence sets us apart. In His presence, we are able to find confidence in His plans over our own. 
  • Oftentimes, we tend to put more weight on our logic and reason. This does not mean we should make decisions rashly, but we should allow faith to always drive our decisions more than our logic. Personal reflection. 

Evening Reflection

Meditate on Psalm 16:11:“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Reflect on the passage above. The psalmist reminds us that life is a journey and not simply a destination. We are reminded that God cares more about the process than the actual destination, or as Rick Warren writes: “God cares more about who you become than what you do.” But far greater than this, the psalmist reveals that more rewarding than our plans is His presence. Spend some time reflecting on this. When you come before Him, are you restless to hear some sort of direction? Or do you find the fullness of joy just by simply being in His presence? 

August 25, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on October 29, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.  David is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Listen”

Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let him hear.” 18 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.  22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Listening is a critical life skill.  I had a funny interaction with my oldest daughter a few weeks ago where I thought I heard her say, “Someone is at the door.”  So when I went to the front door and found no one there, I shouted back to her that no one was there. But when I went back to her she told me, “Ruth (our youngest daughter) spilled juice on the floor!”  Obviously I was hearing but not really listening to her, and I missed the point of her message!

In today’s text, Jesus emphasizes the word hear six times, pointing out that how we hear and receive the Word of God matters.  I want to briefly talk about the types of hearts He addresses and how the Word can affect or does not affect our daily life. (There are different interpretations as to whether the hearts are of Christians or non-Christians.)

  • Hard heart – this is the person who is indifferent or even hostile to the gospel message.  They might find the message irrelevant and implausible, resulting in rejection of the message.
  • Shallow heart – this person is initially excited about the gospel and even has emotions of joy but when hardship and trials come, the Word no longer has affect.  It never was rooted in the person.
  • Distracted heart – this person may look like a believer, but because of the cares of the world and deceitfulness of wealth, growth takes a back seat to those other desires.
  • Receptive heart – this is the person who is radically changed and grows because the gospel message has taken root.  No matter what things may come in life, the Word had priority and bears fruit.

When I study this passage, I believe Jesus is actually warning His hearers because only the receptive heart is actually saved.  The mark of a Christian is that they bear fruit (John 15:8), and if there is no evidence of that, we must ask ourselves, “Has the gospel message landed on receptive soil that is bearing fruit?”

Take some time and examine your life.  What kind of heart do you receive the Word with?  Do you see evidence of growth through the Word?  There will be seasons in life where you will not bear as much fruit as other seasons, but the constant pattern should be that the Word is growing us. Pray that the Word would continue to bear fruit in your life.

Prayer:  Lord, may we be a people that continue to receive Your Word with receptive hearts.  I pray that You would help us identify and remove the other desires that can get in the way of growth.  Give us a deeper love for your Word.  Amen!

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 10

Lunch Break Study

Read James 1:22-25: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23For 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. 25But 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.

Questions to Consider

  • What does James emphasize when it comes to the Word?
  • What is the result of being a doer of the Word?
  • James uses a brilliant illustration of a mirror, showing what it is like when we are not doers of the Word.  What areas in our life are we just being listeners and not doers?

Notes

  • James points out that it is not enough simply to know Scripture or godly teaching—knowledge alone is useless. We must desire to apply and “be doers” of the Word in our daily lives.
  • The contrast here between the hearer and the doer is that the doer remembers the “law of liberty.”  The one who obeys the Word results in freedom and blessing.  
  • Think about how the Word affects your daily life.  Do we just know the Word and fail to live it out?  Ask God to point out the areas where you need to apply this.

Evening Reflection

Today, we looked at the importance of the Word, and how we receive and apply it.  Take some time and read Scripture before you close out the day.  Meditate on it and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the grace and strength to live it.  

August 24, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on September 2, 2018, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon, who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Are You Free Today?”

Jeremiah 34:17

“Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine.”

I don’t know about you, but I do enjoy a bit of humorous sarcasm with friends. So whenever I discover sarcasm in the Bible, it tends to grab my attention. As you know, sarcasm is a literary device in which the speaker actually means the opposite of what is being said. 

In this verse, we see God using sarcasm to convey a solemn judgment upon the Israelites. During the time of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, those Israelites who owned slaves had proclaimed freedom for them. They had even made a covenant with God in verse 15 in setting the slaves free. (Note: Friday’s QT revealed that it was not economically advantageous for owners to care for the slaves during the siege.) However, when the siege was lifted (temporarily), these owners quickly cancelled their freedom and forced them to be slaves once again. This breach of the covenant only infuriated the Lord. 

So the Lord sends Jeremiah to let the owners know that He too will proclaim “freedom” for them. And just in case the owners did not understand the Lord’s sarcasm, He explained that this “freedom” would bring about their fall by the sword, plague, and famine. The slave owners who were “free” from the covenant would also pay a steep price and longer be protected by the other Party of the covenant, the Lord Almighty. 

Today, we believe that we have been given our freedom. We correctly believe that Jesus has set us free from our sins. But some of us erroneously assume that true spiritual freedom means freedom from having to obey God’s commands. Obeying God’s commands is wrongly seen as a path of legalism. However, if we continue to live a life apart from obeying God’s word, that “freedom” would only lead to death (e.g., addictions). Paul says in Gal 5:13 – You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 

For the Israelite slave owners, their freedom led them down the path of total destruction. We, too, must not allow our freedom to lead down the path of destruction by disobeying the Lord. Instead, we are to use our freedom to serve others with humility and love. 

Prayer: Lord, may the freedom that You have proclaimed in our lives through Your Son, Jesus Christ, lead us to serve others with love and humility. Thank You for the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus. In His Name, Amen! 

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 9