Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend, written by Pastor Ryun Chang, was originally posted on February 22, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing” (2)

Matthew 8:11

“Lord,” the centurion said, “just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I am a man under authority” 

Once, when disciples played a pivotal role in implementing the great miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 men with 5 breads and 2 fish, they appeared to get a big head (mind you, their head was already large, seeing that they always argued about who was the greatest among them.)  Though Jesus blessed the food, which resulted in its increase, people received it from the hands of the disciples who distributed the food in an orderly fashion (Mk. 6:40). After hearing repeated “thank-yous” from the grateful people, I guess my head will swell up as well (since it has been known to swell up on far less).  

As evening came, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.  Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food” (Mt. 14:15). Notice the imperative form of speech that they used in order to tell Jesus what He ought to do: “Send (apoluson) the crowds away.” When considering that the “imperative mood in the Greek expresses actions which are to be realized by the exercise of the will of one person upon that of another” (Summers 1950:112), their statement revealed a self-confident attitude as in, “Jesus, we know better; you need to do this.”  

Suffice it to say for now, we don’t command Jesus; He commands us! We don’t order Jesus around; He gives orders to us!  Ironically, an outsider (the Roman centurion) understood that principle better than the insiders. Instead of asking Jesus (or shall I say, commanding, for that was this officer’s customary way) to come to his house to heal his man who was gravely ill, the centurion said to the Lord, “Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”

So, don’t get too complacent and don’t be over-confident.  Jesus is the Lord—not us—he commands us and we obey him.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 7

Prayer: Lord, teach me to understand my role as your subject and servant.  Remind me never to tell you what to do; instead, I shall always submit to your perfect will.  Thank you. Amen.

Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend, written by Pastor Ryun Chang, was originally posted on February 21, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Apart from Me You Can Do Nothing” (1)

Matthew 21:6-11

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

The crowd wildly cheered as Jesus, riding on a donkey, entered Jerusalem just before his crucifixion. If the donkey mistakenly believed that the cheers were for him, how silly that would be.  While that was highly unlikely, the same cannot be said about us since we have an unlimited desire for self-aggrandizement and recognition.  

Jesus’ disciples were no exceptions since they often discussed who was the greatest among them.  Once when Jesus asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” they said nothing because “they had argued about who was the greatest” (Mk 9:33-4).   The disciples didn’t stop there; they had the same discussion right after Jesus revealed that one of them would betray Him. Initially shocked and sad over this closure, it didn’t stop them from “disput[ing] . . . among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest” (Lk. 22:24).  About to be arrested and crucified the next day, I wonder what the Lord must have been thinking at that moment: “Father, this isn’t going to work. Is it possible to postpone the crucifixion for a week so I can replace these ‘clowns’ with more qualified people?”  Well, that’s me talking, mind you.

We can be sure that God, who “opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” will not tolerate such attitudes.  Before using us, God will teach us that apart from Christ, we can do nothing. That process, I found out throughout my life, isn’t always pretty, meaning I had to eat humble pie on many occasions. It’s a lesson that we need to be reminded of constantly, that is, if we desire to be used by the Lord who will not give his “glory . . . to another” (Is. 48:11).

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 5-6

Prayer: Lord, teach me to be humble and curb my desire to draw attention to myself; instead, remind me to give all the credit to where the credit is due—You, my Lord, Amen.

Today’s devotional, prepared by Pastor Jason Sato, was originally posted on November 7, 2014.  He and his wife Jessica (along with their three young children) recently moved to Japan to serve as missionaries. 

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“Self-Reliance”—Fool’s Gold 

Proverbs 3:21-26

My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion, 22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck. 23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. 24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. 25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, 26 for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

In our passage today, the author of the Proverbs exhorts us to “keep sound wisdom and discretion” (v. 21).  How easy it is to learn wisdom and then fail to keep it, to understand the knowledge of God only to lose sight of it.

For example, Solomon began well.  He gained greater wisdom than any before or after him but he lost sight of it in the end.  Wisdom is not only to be gained but to be kept.

We are constantly tempted to put aside the wisdom of God for our own wisdom, especially when things seem to be working out all right.  But as we trust more and more in ourselves, fear and stress begin to creep in.

I belong to an accountability group with several brothers.  We at least seem to be a fairly capable group of men, whether in areas of finances and career or even family and spirituality.  Some time ago, while we were having a casual conversation, I found out that we rely more on ourselves than God. Faced with increasing responsibilities and greater awareness of what can go wrong, we’re tempted to rely even more on ourselves and exert greater control over every detail of our lives.  But there is no peace in self-dependence—it’s fool’s gold.

The one who holds tight to the wisdom of God will not stumble or be afraid (v. 23-24).  They will sleep easily because the Lord is their confidence (v. 24, 26).

We may be successful and competent people, but deep down we know the limits of our own wisdom and power.  We simply don’t know everything and even if we did there are many more things outside of our control than in our control when it comes to our health, our finances, and even our children.

Only in God can we rest secure.  As we walk by His wisdom, we can be confident in the One who actually is in control of all things.  Take some time to entrust your responsibilities, cares, and loved ones to the Lord.

Prayer: Father, thank You for all the blessings and truths You have granted to me thus far.   Forgive me that I am so tempted to go back to my own understanding and ways. May I walk in Your wisdom and find peace in a world of uncertainty.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 5

---

Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Kings 11:1-5: Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

Questions to Consider 

1. What contributed to Solomon’s downfall?
2. According to v. 4, did Solomon still love the Lord?
3. Solomon allowed his wives whom he loved to turn his heart away from God. How can you be wise in your relationships?

Notes

1. His love of foreign women (v. 1) and his disobedience to God’s clear command (v. 2).
2. Solomon did love the Lord, but his heart was not wholly true to Him.  His heart was divided.
3. Deliberately investing in friendships that will build your faith; obeying God’s command not to be yoked with nonbelievers; learning to communicate love to family and friends apart from simply obeying them (when their desires conflict with God’s).

---

Evening Reflection

Did any particular worries or pressures weigh heavily on you today?  How can you rely more on the Lord and less on yourself? Allow the Lord to carry Your burdens.

Today’s QT blog, written by Pastor Charles Choe (Tapestry Church in Los Angeles), was originally posted on December 8, 2014.

 

Devotional Thought for Today 

Proverbs 16:18: 

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Of all the sins, pride is probably the subtlest and the most dangerous. This is true for all of life, and as a pastor, I must say that pride is often a trap for those of us in the ministry. It seems that the more we accomplish for God and the greater “our” ministry becomes, the more susceptible we are to the trap of pride. What starts out to be a work for God’s glory, can quickly and easily turn into something that is bringing glory only to one’s self.

Pride says, “Look at me. Look at who I am, and what I’m doing.” But the Bible calls us to lift up the Lord instead so that He can draw all men unto Himself (Jn. 12:32)—not to draw attention to ourselves nor draw men to ourselves. Pride is especially dangerous because it takes the attention away from Jesus. This is almost a certainty: a prideful heart and a proud spirit are destined to fall and face destruction. God knows how to bring down the prideful spirit, and he will never fail to do just that.

So it is in our best interest to look into our own hearts to see what pride lurks in the deep recesses of our heart so that we can attempt to root it out. Destroying pride in the heart is one of the hardest battles that we all fight. This is why we must remind ourselves each morning that we are nothing without Jesus, and all the good that we have is from God himself. 

Let us not have a proud heart. Rather, let us give God credit by acknowledging that whatever talents, abilities, and gifts we have are not products of our own creation, but given by God to be used to bless Him and others. A lot of people may say that it was all their hard work which enabled them to become doctors, lawyers, or teachers; but we must come to see how all the hard work in the world won’t make us any of those things unless God first bestows his gifts and abilities to us. Let us be humble and not lift ourselves up higher than we should.  If we will but humble ourselves God will lift us up in his time and in his way.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 4

Prayer: Lord, help me to be humble. In humility, may your Holy Spirit speak more to me. Guide me through every conversation and decision today for your glory and not mine. Amen. 

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Deuteronomy 8:17-18: “Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” 

Questions to Consider 

1. What are we are warned to be careful not to do?  
2. Who are we to remember? Why are we to remember Him?   
3. Do you tend be grateful for your blessings? 

Notes 

1. To think that it was by our own power that we have attained wealth or blessings. 
2. We are to remember it was God who provides the power and wealth we have. 
3. Personal response

---

Evening Reflection

It’s a wonderful thing to know that God created us in such a way that it is nearly impossible to pat ourselves on the back, nor to be too harsh on ourselves.

Today’s devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on December 27, 2013.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“On Whom Have We Really Placed Our Trust?”

Psalm 146:3-4

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

There are few people in my life that I really rely on, but the ones that I do place my trust in are like princes to me: My father, a physician, who has kept me healthy all my life in such a way that I have never once had to go to a hospital or put my medical insurance to use.  Pastors who keep me spiritually healthy through their weekly messages, and who give me guidance at critical moments in my life.  Family members who will be there for me in a heartbeat if I ever need their help.  But what if one day, they all suddenly disappeared?

As I think about this, I feel suddenly very vulnerable and alone.  I imagine I would feel very much at a loss about many things.  If I had no one, suddenly had no one, would God really take care of me?  How would He do it?  By moving the hearts of complete strangers to help me?  I find it is a stretch to truly believe He would or could.  

But it doesn’t have to be as dramatic as this.  Sometimes the way we place our trust in princes has to do with who we look to for help in the most mundane matters.  Who will help us with the housework or the children?  Who do we depend on to get our jobs done well and on time?  How do we react or respond when we don’t receive the help or support we were expecting?

Do we place undue pressure, burden or expectation on people around us to help us and then feel resentful when they don’t come through?  Or are we able to release them from our expectations because we know that the help does not necessarily have to come from them and that God could provide some other way?  Do we get downcast and discouraged when our princes at times fail or disappoint us when we felt we needed them most?  Or do we continue to have hope because our hope is in the Lord?  

Significant relationships in our lives where we both give and receive help are a blessing from the Lord.  This day, let us both thank God for these relationships and keep them in perspective as we recognize God as our true and ultimate source of help.

Prayer: Lord, You are truly worthy of my praise.  How wonderful You have been to me, how loving.  You have been my protector, healer, restorer and provider.  How can I not place my hope and trust in You?  May I be a delight to You this day.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 3

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 146:5-9: Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. 6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

Questions to Consider

1. Why should we trust God instead of princes?  What are his qualifications?  (vv. 5-6)
2. What kind of help does God give and to whom?  (vv. 7-9)
3. Am I like any of the people in verses 7-9?  In my life right now, which kind of help do I need most?  Do I believe God is both willing and able to help me?

Notes

1. God is sovereign over all and eternal.  He is the one who is truly in control.
2. See verses 7-9.
3. Do you need an advocate?  Are you hungry?  Do you need to be set free?  Do you need healing?  Are you bowed down in spirit?  Are you an outsider?  Are you without friends or relatives to depend on?  Ask the Lord to move in your life.  He is both willing and able.

---

Evening Reflection

I lift my eyes up to the mountains, where does my help come from?  My help comes from you, maker of heaven, creator of the earth.  Who was my help today? 

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Mark Chun (Radiance Christian Church, S.F.), was originally posted on March 4, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Why We Don’t Feel Very Thankful”

Psalms 21:1-5

O Lord, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults! You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah  3 For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold upon his head. 4 He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. 5 His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. 

One of the dangers that we face in our spiritual lives is not recognizing when God answers our prayers and not giving Him the proper praise when He responds to us.  Perhaps we don’t feel as blessed as King David in terms of wealth, power, and vitality but if you look around your life, there are countless things that are a result of God’s answer to your prayers such as the success of your career, a happy marriage, a loving church community, and the list goes on.  

The richness of God’s blessings surrounds those who have the right perspective and you will see that God doesn’t withhold anything from those whom He loves.   He is faithful to answer the prayers of His children because of His covenant relationship with us.   

Think about the good things that you have in your life and offer up a prayer of thanksgiving for the many blessings of God.  

Prayer: Father, You are the giver of every good and perfect gift.  Give me the eyes to see the many answers to prayer that I may overlook in my daily routine.  Purify the desires of my heart so that I can continue to pray your will. Give me faith and patience so that I can wait in bold expectation for your response.  

Bible reading for Today:  Revelation 2

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 7:11 (ESV): If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 

Questions to Consider

1. Is prayer a blank check in which we can ask anything from God?  (Matthew 6:10)
2. How do we know what to pray for?  (Matthew 6:9-15)
3. What keeps our prayers from being answered? (James 4:3)

Prayer is one of the most under utilized sources of power in the life of the believer.  Through prayer, we can achieve intimacy with Christ, be empowered and filled by the Holy Spirit, and experience the security of the Father’s love.  

Note 

1. The basic focus of the believer’s prayer life should be the kingdom of God.  We are told to seek first the kingdom and that all things will be added to us subsequently.  We are not told to pray for anything we want but rather to pray for all things with a kingdom mindset.  (Matthew 6:32-33)
2. The Lord’s Prayer can be used as a standard blueprint on which we can build a life of prayer.   We can start with praying for the will of God to be done and pray confidently that His will is to provide for our needs, forgive our sins, and protect us from the schemes of the devil.  
3. There are several reasons for God not answering prayer but the two most common are His timing and our impure motives. One question that we can ask ourselves periodically is what do I plan to do with the answered prayer.  Will I glorify God with it or use it for my own selfish purposes. (James 4:3)

---

Evening Journaling

Did you set aside a few moments to quiet your spirit before God?  Was there meaningful dialogue between you and God through the reading of scripture and personal time of prayer?

Today’s devotional, written by Cami King, was originally posted on November 20, 2014.  Cami now serves as a staff at Remnant Church in Manhattan.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

A Job Well-Done!

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: Revelation 1

---

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.

Today’s blog—prepared by a staff at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego (Cal)—was first posted on July 6, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Moment When We Became His”

Psalms 74:1-3, 12-15

O God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture? 2 Remember the nation you purchased long ago, the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—Mount Zion, where you dwelt. 3 Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary. 12 But God is my King from long ago; he brings salvation on the earth. 13 It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters. 14 It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert. 15 It was you who opened up springs and streams; you dried up the ever-flowing rivers.

In Psalm 74, the psalmist laments the judgment of God and the destruction of the sanctuary.   This likely refers to the Babylonian invasion under Nebuchadnezzar. God’s people have seen their homes destroyed, their loved ones killed or exiled, and the temple, symbolizing the very presence of God, torn to the ground.

In the midst of such despair, the psalmist finds hope in three places.  The first is in the Exodus. The psalmist remembers His God who split the red sea, who crushed the Leviathan, referring to the Egyptian army, and how God supernaturally provided food and drink for His people.

More than a random display of God’s power, the Exodus was the defining event in which God adopted the Israelites as His own.  It was in the Exodus that they became God’s people.

Reflect upon your own testimony.  How does the power and love of God displayed in your past provide hope for you today?

Prayer: God, I thank You that Your love for me is incredible.  I thank You that You pursued me even when I was running away from You.  I thank You that You are the Almighty God, who was able to change such a hardened heart as mine.  I thank You that I belong to You because of what Your Son did on the cross. I put my trust in You, the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 28

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Church in San Diego, was first posted on November 29, 2014.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

Matthew 28:20 

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I’m learning that there is a huge difference between vulnerability and insecurity in the journey of faith.  

In this passage, Jesus is about to be taken up to heaven, and He understands the fears and insecurities that are gripping the disciples’ hearts as they face an insurmountable challenge of making disciples of all nations. He knows that they will be facing uncertainties, but He tells them that they can trade all of their insecurities for an overwhelming sense of confidence in His presence.

Similarly, in Judges 7, Gideon gathers an army after being summoned by God to fight against the Midianites. Before the battle begins, Gideon would see God reduce the army to one percent of the original number, raising the odds from 4 to 1, to 400 to 1; another insurmountable challenge. Yet God’s presence would go ahead and cause confusion among the Midianites, causing them to flee from a small army of 300 men.

Again and again, throughout Scriptures, people of God are led to circumstances where vulnerability and dependency on God are very real issues. He still does the same today as His church continues to seek His Kingdom.  

Graham Cooke writes:  Insecurity produces unbelief. A paralysis occurs where there needs to be movement and faith in action. People see their own smallness rather than the majesty of God. (The Israelites in Numbers 13: 33 said, “We were like grasshoppers in our own sight.”) Such people are prevented from achieving breakthrough in faith. 

In contrast, vulnerability is knowing that God is happy to send us out as lambs amongst wolves because He is confident in His own ability to watch over us and work through our weaknesses. When we are vulnerable, we see our inadequacies in the light of God’s sovereignty and power, and we discover hope and faith. 

It seems that when facing insurmountable challenges, we can either fix our gaze upon our inadequacies and be completely paralyzed, or we can fix our gaze upon Jesus who is also the perfector of our faith. The difference between insecurity and vulnerability seem so subtle; however, in God’s eyes, the two are as far as east is from the west. 

Perhaps some of you are facing circumstances that you know you are inadequate to handle. Look to God in this season and place all of your dependence upon Him. In prayer, express to Him daily of your need for His presence in your life. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I desperately need to depend on You, instead of people and things.  So help me to discipline myself to spend a quiet moment each day with You. Help me to daily fix my eyes on Christ and ask the Holy Spirit to fill me.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 26-27

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Barry Kang of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on April 19, 2013.

 

Devotional Thought for Today 

“What Would you Write on Your Own Epitaphs?”

Psalm 39:4-6

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. 5 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. Selah 6 Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it.

On the first day of seminary, the professor of Christian Leadership asked us to write our own epitaphs.  I thought this was a rather surprising, if not a morbid, request. But I found that this exercise gave a new perspective on my life.   In Psalm 39, David asks God to give him a perspective to be able to see his life’s end and how short his years will be. When we know how short our lives will be, we will treasure each day and desire for it to be used in the best possible way.  

Moreover, we can also gain true perspective by seeing how much greater the eternal life will be with God!   Each day of our lives is lived with purpose and richness towards God when we consider their breadth relative to the forever that awaits us afterwards.  Instead of “eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die,” each day is an opportunity to do something significant (“rich”) for God and His kingdom, thereby storing up treasures in heaven.  Many Christians delay living a life rich towards God because they assume that there will be time for that later; such attitude, however, will result in leading a trivial life for God. The time to live for God is now!

How much time do you think you have in this life?  Are you waiting to live more richly for God because you think you will have more time later?  Let’s not delay! We can begin living a life rich for God today. 

Prayer: Father, just as David did, I ask that You teach me to number my days.  I confess that I lack perspective. On the one hand, I think I have all the time in the world to do the things of God later.  On the other hand, I think life is so precious and short that I must enjoy myself now.  Help me to have a proper perspective. I want each day to be lived in Your joy and seeking Your will in all things.  In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Matthew 25

---

Lunch Break Study

Read James 4:13-17 (NIV):  Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

Questions to Consider

1. What is James warning us against in this passage?
2. What steps can we take to guard ourselves against presumption?
3. What is the difference between sinful presumption and prudent planning?

Another word for proper biblical perspective is humility.  When we see the shortness of our lives on this earth in comparison to the eternity of God (and our life with him in that thereafter), we are humbled.  To see ourselves as God sees us is true humility. To live with God at the center of our lives is true humility.  

Note

1. James warns against the sin of presumption: 
   1. The presumption that we can continue to be alive at will (“today or tomorrow . . . spend a year there”)
   2. The presumption that we are masters of our own lives, as if we need to do no more than decide and it will happen
   3. The presumption that ability is all that matters (“carry on business and make money”).  
   4. We overlook frailty (we are a “mist”) and ignore the will of God (“if it is the Lord’s will).
2. The three verbs in verses 14-15 will help us to guard against presumption:
   1. “You do not know”.   We have to recognize our ignorance of the future. The future is in God’s hands and not ours.
   2. “You are a mist”.  We must recognize the shortness of our lives on this side of heaven.
   3. “You ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will”.  We must be dependent upon God.

2. James is not speaking against all planning, but rather the kind of self-sufficient, self-important planning that as one writer puts it, “keeps God for Sundays but looks on Monday through Saturday as mine”.  The phrase “If the Lord wills” is not a magical or protective phrase to be used in a ritual fashion. Rather, James is telling us that all of our plans must be made whilst depending upon God and desiring his will above all things.    

---

Evening Reflection

Think about the plans you’ve been making.  Do they fall into the self-centered, I-am-the-Lord-of-the-Universe category or into the God-is-the-Lord-and-Sustainer-of-my-life category?  As we journal, let us submit those plans to God’s will.