November 29, Friday

Today’s AMI QT blog—prepared by several staff at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego (Cal)—was first posted on July 13, 2013.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“We Cannot Lose”

Psalm 76:10-12

“Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. 12 He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth.”

We are particularly fearful of making commitments.  Whether it be as silly as signing up for a potluck or as serious as choosing a career path, we tend to delay making a commitment as much as possible, hoping to eliminate risk and guarantee an experience and outcome that we are sure to enjoy.  But in light of God’s greatness and power, the psalmist calls us to a radical commitment to God in fulfilling our vows and bringing Him gifts.  

While specific outcomes may not be guaranteed, we may be certain that God will receive glory when we obey Him.  While suffering and disappointment may not be avoided, we are assured that our God is always and absolutely worthy of all honor and praise.  Though we may not obtain the future which we have envisioned, we have a certain hope that when we lose our lives for Him, our God is faithful and true to give us everlasting joy in His very presence.  To put it another way, we cannot lose!

This morning, take a moment to consider the things that are not certain in the coming day, but also consider the things that are absolutely certain and guaranteed by God Himself.

Prayer: Father, I come to You with many fears and with much uncertainty in my life.  I am tempted to try to control my future and find it difficult to trust that You will truly take care of me and my family.  But You are glorious, O God, and You are good to me. Help to me see again Your greatness and beauty. May I hear Your voice today and obey promptly and wholeheartedly, regardless of the cost.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 45

Lunch Break Study

Read James 2:14-17 (NIV): What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 

Questions to Consider

  1. What is produced in the life of those who place their faith in God?
  2. How does faith respond to those who are poor and in need?
  3. Ask God for opportunities this week to put your faith into action.  

Notes

  1.  James’s words have sparked a tremendous debate. Is James really denying salvation by faith? Is he really suggesting that salvation can be secured only by producing good works? The answer to these questions is a resounding “No!” James was not denying salvation by faith; he was not advocating salvation by works. James believed firmly in salvation by faith, but he believed just as firmly that saving faith inevitably shows up in good works. Paul’s teaching about faith and works focuses on the time before conversion, and James’ focus is after conversion. John Calvin says, “It is faith alone that justifies, but faith that justifies can never be alone.”
  2. James adds an example to make it very clear of what he is talking about. He paints a picture of a Christian brother or sister in real need. It is not that he does not have nice clothes, but that he does not have enough clothing to keep warm and decent. It is not that he does not have any food for the rest of the week, but that he does not have anything to eat for that day. What does his fellow-Christian do? He or she says a prayer saying, “Go, I wish you well; Go in peace”- which is a blessing.  Also saying, “Keep warm and well fed” makes this a specific blessing. It is pious, full of faith—that God will provide, and very religious. It is also theologically correct. What it lacks is this fellow Christian actually going to his own closet and pantry, getting out his own clothing and food, and sharing it with his brother or sister. Because of this lack of real faith in action, James says that such a prayer is totally useless, as well as all forms of faith which are not accompanied by action.
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

Reflect on the blood of Jesus Christ which allows us to meet God’s presence and worship Him.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me through Your Son Jesus Christ. Help me now to place this faith into action by caring for others. Amen.

November 28, Thursday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church in Raleigh, was originally posted on November 28, 2013.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“Happy Thanksgiving . . . Because of Him”

Psalm 117:1-2

Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! 2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

This is the shortest Psalm in the Psalter, but as Derek Kidner rightly notes, its faith is “great” and “its reach is enormous.”  He added, “The shortest Psalm proves, in fact, to be one of the most potent and most seminal.” How so?

The first striking feature of this Psalm is its call for all nations and all people to praise God. It is, therefore, a missionary psalm, calling on all peoples everywhere to extol God.   The second important feature is the reason why all nations should praise God: His steadfast love and faithfulness, which endures forever.  

On this day of Thanksgiving, we should be reminded of the greatness of His love for the nations as well as for us.   God expressed the fullest measure of His love for us in Christ; in Him, we have abundant life (Jn. 10:10) in this age and eternal life in the age to come.  The innumerable promises of the Lord, such as tarrying with us in our trials or answering our prayers, are as fresh and intact now as on the day they were made; and they will remain so.  

Take some time this morning praising and thanking the Lord for His love and faithfulness.  Meditate on the Cross and how it shows His great love for you. May worship and praise arise as you think about Christ.

Prayer: Dear God, I thank You for everything!  Forgive me for complaining, pouting and comparing myself to others to complain and pout even more.  You are so good to me, Lord; and that’s all the more reason why I shall worship and praise You forever.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 44

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 2:1-7: And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to verses 1-3, what is the true condition of humans?
  2. In response, what has Christ done for humans in their miserable state?
  3. What moves our Lord to do this?

Notes

  1. Ephesians 2 is one of the deepest and richest passages in all of Scripture.  Paul describes man’s condition apart from the grace and mercy of Jesus in verse 1-3: man is not only spiritually dead but is an object of the wrath of God, who is holy and just.   
  2. Thankfully, Jesus has not left men in their miserable state, but has chosen to rescue those chosen from the foundation of the world (1:3–6).
  3. It certainly is not any good we have done; being separated from God because of sins, we were undeserving of His love.  Whatever righteousness we thought we possessed was nothing but dirty rags (Isa. 64:6). What moves Him, Paul tells us, is His own mercy, love, grace, and kindness (Eph. 2:4–7).  It bears repeating that God has shown His grace and mercy when we did not deserve it.  It is only fitting that on this Thanksgiving Day, we spend some time thanking Jesus for His salvation and His great love for us.

Evening Reflection

One of our greatest needs as human beings is to be loved.  We have the need to know that we are important to somebody and that someone truly cares and accepts us unconditionally.  If this need is not met, we are liable to develop unacceptable behavior patterns to compensate for this need.

Remember, there is nothing we can do to make Jesus love us more, and nothing we will ever do will cause Him to love us any less. He loves us perfectly and completely regardless of how we perform; His love is unconditional.  Even if we don’t love ourselves, He still loves us. 

Having known and experienced His great love and mercy, we should show that same kindness to others in our lives.  Take some time to pray so that God’s love and mercy would be manifested abundantly in your life.

November 27, Wednesday

Today’s devotional, prepared by Pastor Jason Sato, was originally posted on November 6, 2014.  He and his wife Jessica (along with their three young children) recently moved to Japan to serve as missionaries. 

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“Not Evolution, but By God’s Wisdom”

Proverbs 3:19-20

The LORD by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens; [20] by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

Nowadays, evolution rules: humans are byproducts of an undirected natural process without either plan or purpose.  It certainly is a politically correct view but is not very wise because it is by wisdom the Lord founded the earth and established the heavens (v. 19).  Wisdom, not random chance, brought life and order out of chaos.  The wisdom of God did not just inaugurate creation, but it was active in the ancient flood and continues to sustain and shape the creative order (v. 20).  The wisdom of God is interwoven into creation and even history.  

Even as I consider something as small as my own life, there are many things I don’t understand.  I often wonder why things are the way they are. Why do things change so slowly? Why is my family generationally Buddhist rather than generationally Christian?  Why am I so short? Ha-ha.

Our passage reminds us that there is a God who shaped the heavens and the earth and He is wise beyond our understanding.  The One who created all things is the One who sustains all things and continues to shape all things.

We tend to not handle mystery very well.  So when questions arise, we are tempted to spend all of our energy determining exactly what God is doing.  Often, we end up finding ourselves unable to think of any explanation that satisfies us; perhaps, we doubt God can either.  

Our passage today invites us to lay these futile quests aside and simply trust God who has created us for a purpose (Eph. 2:10).  Furthermore, God, who knows the stars by name, certainly knows the hearts of His children. The God of wisdom founded the earth and He is able to work all things for our good.  Go to Him and entrust the many questions and mysteries of your life to His care.

Prayer: Father, there are many things that I don’t understand and I’m thankful that there is a God who does.  In the midst of confusion, give me grace to hold on to the rock that is Your Son. I know that You love me, and I trust in Your faithful care.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 43

Lunch Break Study  

Read Job 38:4-7: “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. [5] Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? [6] On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, [7] when the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Questions to Consider

  1. What does our passage tell us about God?
  2. What does our passage tell us about man?
  3. What response should this passage elicit?  What if we add our knowledge of the cross?

Notes

  1. God is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and glorious.
  2. Man has a brief lifespan, finite power, and very limited knowledge.
  3. The passage elicits fear and awe.  When the grace and love of God are added to this, we are compelled to both worship and trust.

Evening Reflection

Were you able to recognize God’s wisdom in how He has shaped your life today?  What questions arose in your heart about your circumstances or life today? Take these questions to the Lord.

November 26, Tuesday

Today’s devotional, written by Cami King was originally posted on November 17, 2014.  Cami now serves as a staff at Remnant Church in Manhattan.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

Proverbs 10:4, 26

The one who is lazy becomes poor, but the one who works diligently becomes wealthy . . . 26 Like vinegar to the teeth and like smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

Martin Luther once said, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays – not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.” 

We live in a culture where we are taught, most of us anyway, to work hard. We’re socially inoculated with axioms to keep us working diligently like, “Hard work pays off” or “The early bird gets the worm.” And most of us wait expectantly for the pay off – our paycheck at the end of the week, a promotion at the end of the year, recognition at the end of a project, a successful child at the end of adolescence. We chirp, chirp with mouths open wide awaiting the worm for which we’ve worked so hard. 

We are a hardworking, results oriented people. And for most of us, the motivation behind our work and the result that we seek is some kind of material gain. But today we learn from Martin Luther that there is reward beyond the material. God delights in good work, in a job well done. He relishes in a good product, not because of how much money we can make from it, but because of the good in the product itself. 

Very few of us have been taught to simply value a job well done – good craftsmanship, thorough research, comprehensive reports, faithful service – not for what it can do for us, but for the good in the thing itself. Yes, hard work can make us physically wealthy, but it can also bring us great spiritual riches as we experience the pleasure of God. 

Today, may we do our best at what we do, even the things that may not yield the greatest gain or that may go unseen, knowing that our heavenly father delights in a job well done. And his delight is an invaluable reward.  

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 be pleasing unto You and a blessing to those around me. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 42

Lunch Break Study 

Slaves comprised the labor force in Paul’s day. Therefore, from his comments to them, we can learn how we, as participants in the labor force in our society, are to conduct ourselves. 

Read Colossians 3:22-24: Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Questions to Consider

  1. What do we learn from verses 22-23 about the manner in with which we should do our jobs? 
  2. How does considering of your job as “working for the Lord” change your perspective, and how you do things? 
  3. In what ways does verse 24 encourage you? 

Notes

  1. The key words here are “sincerity” and “reverence.” We should be sincere in our efforts which leads to consistency – no matter who is looking, a sincere worker works faithfully. We should also work with reverence for God – no matter the task, we work to honor our Heavenly Father.
  2. For some of us, this reality will make us less self-centered in our work. For others of us, this reality may make us more faithful and less likely to cut-corners or do mediocre work. Whatever it may be for you, try to grasp the reality that it is God we are serving, not the people we work for. 
  3. Our inheritance in Christ is secured regardless of the work we do. We don’t have to work to get things from God – Jesus has done all the work for us. This should free us to do good work for the joy of doing it and for the privilege of serving God – not just for the self-centered purpose of meeting our needs. With that said, the Bible does seem to suggest that there is even more in store for those who faithfully serve the Lord in all they do. 

Evening Reflection 

How did the passages for today challenge you? Did you experience the pleasure of God as you worked diligently today? Pray and ask God for the faithfulness to serve Him in all you do, not just for a material reward, but because there is eternal value in a job well-done.

November 25, Monday

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Sam Lee of Catalyst Agape Church in New Jersey, was first posted on October 4, 2013.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“Counterfeit Humility”

Exodus 3:11-12a

“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you.’”

Moses was focused on what he couldn’t do, rather than on what HE could do.  This unhealthy focus on self causes insecurity, which often is mistaken for humility (a.k.a., counterfeit humility). The distinction is that insecurity is fed by fear, doubt, and faithlessness, whereas, humility doesn’t negate faith, but makes you cling onto it. Humility allows us to take our eyes away from self and put our dependence on God. Jesus is our model of humility. In humility, He risked everything and became a man and faced the cross to save others. 

The Lord wants to take you on a journey from insecurity to genuine humility, as God took Moses on this same journey. In the beginning, Moses compared himself to others, saw his own inadequacy and his past mistakes, and so when God told him, “I will be with you,” it didn’t bring him much personal comfort. Moses responded, “Please send someone else.”  

Moses was not humble in the beginning, because he was not dependent on God. God told him, “I will be with you,” but this assurance didn’t bring much security to him. Instead of seeing God being with him, he chose to see just himself, which made him insecure. But over time, the Bible says, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” Moses learned to wholeheartedly depend on the Lord, where God being with him became the most important thing in his life. 

Spend some time in prayer, taking your eyes off yourself and turning your eyes to the Lord.

Prayer: Dear God, forgive me of my pride and arrogance; instead, help me to be humble so that God’s glory may shine through my life.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 41

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 4:7-10: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Romans 5:8: “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

  1. What is the condition for God’s love for us?
  2. Do you think God requires you to be worthy of love or feel worthy of love before He loves you? Explain.
  3. In looking at your relationship with God, do you operate out of firmly believing in God’s unconditional love for you?  Prayerfully consider this question.

Note

  1. Based on these two passages, there are two conditions under which God will love us: first, we are sinners; second, we do not love God.  This is another way of saying that there is NO condition for God’s love.
  2. Piggybacking on the first answer, God does not require anything from us for Him to love and accept us because His Son Jesus, through his death and resurrection, removed the barrier that hindered God’s love from fully manifesting in our lives: SIN.  Of course, God, through His common grace, also loves the world that still has not embraced Jesus (Jn. 3:16); but the fullest measure of His love cannot be had until and unless we embrace (believe) Jesus Christ and his work on the cross.
  3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

We began the day reading about Moses and his need to depend on God. Did anything happen today that reminded you of that?  Review your day in light of that.

November 24, Sunday

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 4, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Guard Your Heart”

Proverbs 4:23-25, 27 (NIV84)

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”

We have all seen properties guarded by a secure fence; that’s how we ought to guard our hearts.   Once the heart is breached, all moral and spiritual pollutants from the world will enter our thoughts to our demise.  

So, with what should we guard the heart?  Guard it with God’s word (Eph. 6:17); guard it with prayer (Eph. 6:18); guard it from bitterness (Heb. 12:15); guard it from selfishness (Phil. 2:3). Above all, keep it away from hopelessness (Prov. 13:12). 

But remember this—even if you failed to guard it and the heart is wounded, you can find forgiveness and healing in Jesus!!! 

Prayer: Jesus, I am weak, so I give you my heart.  Let the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 40

November 23, Saturday

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 3, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Who Do You Trust?”

Proverbs 3:26

“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”

This is a great chapter on wisdom.  I could have easily posted the whole chapter. But here is the verse my son Isaiah liked as we talked about this chapter. 

Where do you put your confidence on? What makes you feel secure? The world tells us to put our confidence in money and accomplishments but remember Jesus is our true confidence.  Wake up!!! Lord is our confidence and He will keep our foot from being snared. The apostle Paul declares, “On him (God) we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us” (2 Cor. 1:10b).

This morning, pray for someone who struggles with the matter of whether to put trust in God or something else.  If you don’t have anyone to pray for you can always pray for AMI pastors and missionaries.  

Prayer:  Lord, give me wisdom to put my confidence only on Jesus Christ!!! 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 38-39

November 22, Friday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Barry Kang of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on March 5, 2014.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

‘A Lenient Judge God is Not”

1 John 1:8-10 (ESV)

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

I have actually met Christians who claim to have no sin in their lives.  I haven’t come across very many, but they do exist. Most of us, however, do not claim to be sinless, and these verses indeed may come as a relief to us who are very much aware of our sins.  Indeed, it is an astonishingly good news that God is “faithful and just” to forgive our sins, which means we don’t need to deny or be defensive about sins in our lives.  

But in what way is it “just” for God to forgive our sins?  Isn’t it true that when the court deals leniently with a murderer or thief, we are aggrieved at the lack of justice?  However, for God, it is just to forgive our sins because on the cross Jesus has already taken those sins upon himself.  I can imagine Jesus interceding for us in heaven saying, “Father, it would be unjust for you to punish Barry, because I already took that sin upon myself on the cross.  Since I already took the punishment for Barry, in accordance to your faithfulness and just-ness, you should forgive Barry!”    

This day let us do the opposite of saying that we have no sin.  Let us come before God, and perhaps even before others, and confess our sins while declaring God’s faithfulness and justice in forgiving us over and over. 

Prayer: Father, I thank you that I don’t need to hide my sins from You.  I confess my sins and ask that You would, according to Your faithfulness and justice, forgive and cover my sins again.  Help me to declare Your grace and mercies this day. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 37

Lunch Break Study  

Read Hebrews 7:23-28: Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. 

Questions to Consider

  1. Who are “those priests” that the author refers to in verse 23 (c.f. Hebrews 5:1-3)?
  2. How is Jesus different from those other priests?  How does this difference impact his ministry?
  3. How is this high priest able to meet our need?

Notes

  1. “Those priests” refer to human priests in the Levitical tradition, whose intercessory ministry on behalf of the people of Israel was constantly interrupted by their mortality.   
  2. In contrast, Jesus lives forever and is always interceding, and so is able to save completely [emphasis mine].
  3. This high priest meets our daily needs because we are always in need of his intercession, which is based on his once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross.  Your sins today are covered!  Your sins tomorrow will be covered also!  If we confess, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins!

Evening Reflection

Consider the effects of the sins in your life.  Do the sins in your life fill you with hope in Christ or to shame and a sense of unworthiness?  Let’s surrender our sins once again and ask for greater faith in our great intercessor.

November 21, Thursday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Mark Chun (Radiance Christian Church, S. F.), was originally posted on March 17, 2014.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“So Much Talk on Love, So Little the Evidence in the Church”

1 John 3:11-15 (ESV)

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 

Many Christians will testify to the importance of love.  If you were to ask one hundred people in church how important love is, it is unlikely that a single person would deny its importance.  Everybody knows, at least mentally, that love is the single most important virtue, and this is possibly the only thing that all of Christendom agrees on.  It doesn’t matter if you come from a conservative or a charismatic church, whether you are Presbyterian or Baptist, all Christians agree that love is of the highest priority.  

But even though there is this universal agreement on the importance of love, why is there so little of it in the church?  This lack of love is something that we have seen in our church, and I am assuming that it’s a problem for many churches. There may be occasional moments of love, but most Christians would admit that there is still a longing in our hearts for more love in every area of our lives, including our relationships with other believers.  

Sometimes, the most basic thing is the hardest thing to perfect.  From the very outset of our faith, we are exhorted to love one another, but somehow envy, anger, and even division enters our fellowship.  Perhaps the best way to overcome this lack of love is to understand the serious nature of the sins that are a natural outcome of not walking in love.  John Stott once wrote, “Jealousy-hatred-murder is a natural and terrible sequence.” I have seen this sequence played out far too many times, because we forget how easy it is to fall naturally into the sin of Cain.  No one is exempt. No one is free from these temptations, and this is why it is so vital to be reminded constantly of our call to love.

So today, make a concerted effort to love another. 

Prayer: Father, help us to love one another, just as You have loved us through your Son.  Forgive us for our lack of love and failure to carry one another’s burdens. If we struggle with negative emotions like anger, bitterness, or resentment, help us to work toward love and reconciliation.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 36

Lunch Break Study  

While you read this passage, briefly reflect on the context in which Jesus is speaking. 

Read Matthew 5:21-25:  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 

Questions to Consider

  1. According to Jesus, what is the punishment for the physical act of murder as compared to anger and contemptuous words?
  2. To what length should we go to reconcile a relationship with an offended Christian brother or sister? 
  3. How should we handle disputes with our adversaries?  Is there anyone you need to forgive or reconcile with?  

Notes

  1. The shocking conclusion in verse 22 is that all three sins are equally in danger of the fire of hell.  Words that we throw around commonly such as “stupid fool” reveal a deep contempt for human life that is equally as dangerous as murder.
  2.   Since Jesus gave this sermon in Galilee, he is telling someone who has traveled close to eighty miles to bring his sacrifice to the temple in Jerusalem, to now go back and reconcile before giving his offering.  This would equate to a round trip of 160 miles at a time when most people made the trip on foot or donkey!
  3. We should look to resolve conflicts as quickly as possible before it gets to serious.  

Evening Reflection

In light of our theme, did you get angry or short with anyone today?  Maybe someone who cut you off? Or you had an incident with a coworker, roommate, or family member?  Review your day here and lift up a prayer, asking for forgiveness and reconciliation where possible.

November 20, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional (new) is provided by Tina Hsu of Church of Southland in Anaheim, California.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“The Power of Love”

1 Peter 4:8 

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 

In my early attempts to understand and apply 1 Peter 4:8 into my life, I asked God how my acts and attempts to love—or any person’s love—could possibly cover a multitude of sins. We know that only Christ by His blood and righteousness could cover sin, and furthermore, a multitude of sins, right? Also, as much as I seek to love others, isn’t my love limited and always a work in progress? How could it wipe away or stop sin from happening?

It wasn’t until I served with my team in Asia for my one year AMI internship that this verse began to become real and clear to me. I can testify now that love amongst brothers and sisters through the thick and thin of teamwork really does cover, and prevent, the multitude of possible sins that could dishonor God and hurt one another. 

As our team was formed to work towards one mission, all of our insecurities surfaced to the forefront, and we also brought out each other’s insecurities and fears: these would manifest itself through sinful behaviors, such as judging, holding grudges, and comparing.  We would be busy protecting ourselves, and not supporting each other because covering our own insecurities was a greater priority. No one liked feeling inadequate. This is where I learned that sin is rooted in insecurity; and on the contrary, security comes from an intimate relationship with God. When we are secure, we sin less. Therefore, we learned and had to work at trying to reflect God’s love towards one another so that our security would increase and give us strength to sin less. 

By providing a safe place in our team to be weak and make mistakes, we were tempted less to put each other down and empowered to love. I learned that we were “winning” at teamwork when we learned of each others’ insecurities (particularly in speaking and leading) and found ways to “love” one another’s insecurities away through words of encouragement and support. By doing so, the energy used towards comparing, blaming, being jealous, disputing over ideas, and judging lessened. Loving one another became above being right and seeing our ideas being executed.  

Our growth began because one person in my life prayed this verse over our team regularly. Through prayer and waiting, we individually grew insight and understanding to live this out. Let me ask you this: What is the temperature of brotherly love in the team you are working with today? Pray 1 Peter 4:8 over your team and seek the Lord for power to love above all.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the teammates, co-workers, and leaders You have placed in my life in this season. Give me wisdom in all of these relationships so that I could serve my co-workers well and choose to love them deeply. May our workplace be a place where grace is extended, and time is generously given to grow in understanding of how to love one another.  In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 35

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 12:9-13: “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”

Questions to Consider

  1. What does v. 9 imply about love? 
  2. How does Apostle Paul instruct the church at Rome regarding love in vv. 10-11? 
  3. Verse 10b says, “give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord,”  implying that “giving preference to others in honor” is actually a way of serving the Lord. Who is someone God is leading you to love out of reverence for Christ and for the purpose of serving God?

Notes

  1. To love well requires searching the intention of the heart (discerning if there are evil or good motives), and being sincere, instead of hypocritical. 
  2. Love is an action that involves choosing to be devoted to one another and choosing to honor and consider others above ourselves. 
  3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection

Reflect on Matthew 5:46-47 tonight: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” Ask yourself this: Who are the people in your life right now that the Holy Spirit is convicting you to “go the extra mile” to express a love that reflects the love that Jesus defines.