August 29, Thursday

Today’s devotional, provided by the staff of Kairos Christian Church (San Diego) led by Pastor Peter Yoon, was originally posted on July 4, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Importance of Corporate Worship”

Psalm 73:16-17

When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

As Asaph reflects on the prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, he is deeply troubled. But understanding comes when he enters the sanctuary of God; it’s likely that Asaph is referring to corporate worship. Israelites did not have open access to the temple of God. The Lord gave strict guidelines for the temple and the sacrificial system. While the value of personal prayer can never be downplayed, Asaph finds understanding while worshiping among the people of God.

Often, in the midst of spiritual struggle, we are tempted to isolate ourselves. Yet amid hardship and doubt, the thing we need most is a word that comes outside of ourselves. When our experiences and feelings become dark, we need brothers and sisters to declare what is true with the confidence and faith that we cannot muster ourselves.

Are you committed to a community that has permission to encourage or challenge you in your faith? Pray that God would give you humility today to hear what is true when it is spoken by someone around you, even by someone you least expect.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You are good and Your Word is truth. Forgive me that I am so convinced of my own wisdom and understanding that I have difficulty hearing Your voice and Your truth. I thank You that even though my thoughts and feelings contradict your Word at times, You have blessed me with brothers and sisters who can speak what is true over my life. Grant me grace to give and to receive words of truth and life today.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 20

Lunch Break Study

Read James 1:13-15 (NIV): When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Questions to Consider

Who should we never blame when we are facing trials?
What causes us to sometimes respond sinfully to trials and difficulties?
What is the inevitable result of falling into temptations?
In what areas do you need to stop blaming God and others for your sinful actions?

Note

God is never to be blamed. Often when we encounter trials, we instantly seek someone toblame. When we blame God, it produces a twisted picture of God, when in truth, He does not want his people to stumble and gives them the strength to endure temptation.
Sometimes we become weary of persevering when a trial goes on for a long time, and we find ourselves tempted to act sinfully in the situation. If we yield to the temptation, we may blame God for causing us to sin, accusing him of pushing us past the point of our being able to handle it. But God is never responsible for any temptation. Temptation comes because of some evil in us. 1 John 2:16 reminds us that the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes NOT from the Father but from the world.
If we yield to the temptations, we suffer serious spiritual damage. James uses the reproductive process as a vivid metaphor to show how difficult it is to stop once the process of yielding to temptation begins. Romans 6:23 reminds us that while the wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

How have you experienced freedom from sins through Christ Jesus? Pray this prayer with me: Heavenly Father, I ask for forgiveness for having blamed You for my weaknesses and sins. Please help me to trust in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to overcome my own evil desires. Amen.

August 28, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Sam Lee (Catalyst Agape Church, NJ), was originally posted on October 2, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Can’t Give What You Don’t Have”

John 17:26

“I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Jesus’ heart was filled with the love of His Father—the greatest love anyone can imagine or encounter.

As I have been in ministry for many years, I have learned an important lesson: You can’t give what you don’t have. If there is no peace in your heart, you can’t give peace to others. If you don’t have joy, you can’t give others joy. And if you don’t have love, you can’t give others love. We can fake it, or we can perform and act as though we are giving it, and we can even strive for it, but at best, it is counterfeit.

Jesus walked on this earth filled with the love of His Father. This motivated Him to obedience; this motivated Him to minister; and this motivated Him to the cross. Jesus prayed that God would place this same love in His disciples, the Father’s love for the Son in our heart. This is the love we should strive for, instead of fleshly and human love. When we try to love through our own strength, we will come up short. But don’t be discouraged, for I believe God knew this, and for this reason Jesus prayed that we might have the greater love: “…that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Our human attempts are good but insufficient. This morning let us take some time receiving, for we know how to show love by doing. Receive the great love the Father has for His Son and ask that this great love will be in our heart today. Receive fully, so that love of God will flow out of us today.

Prayer: Dear God, please help me to be real so that if I lack love, I will ask for it before faking it before people. As You fill me with Your love, may I love others the way You have always loved me unconditionally. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 10:29-31: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Questions to Consider

What attributes of God are highlighted in this statement of Jesus?
Why did Jesus declare this?
Do you feel worthy to receive God’s love? Is receiving love easy for you? Why or why not?

Note

God’s omniscience (God knows all things) and omnipotence (God can do all things) are highlighted in this passage.
Jesus makes this declaration to allay our fear of future as it relates to our socioeconomics.
Person response

Evening Reflection

As you look back today, were you aware of God’s presence? Too busy to notice Him? Write about your day and let’s do better tomorrow.

August 27, Tuesday

Today’s devotional, prepared by Pastor Jason Sato, was originally posted on December 13, 2013. He and his wife Jessica (along with their three young children) recently moved to Japan to serve as missionaries.

Devotional Thought for Today

“What If . . .”

Psalm 124:1-8

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—let Israel now say—2 if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3 then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; 4 then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; 5 then over us would have gone the raging waters. 6 Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth! 7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped! 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

The Psalmist, reflecting on the many blessings the Israelites have received from the Lord in the past, recalls having been delivered from terrible calamities that could have wiped them out.

Many times, we are tempted to ponder upon the life that could have been, if only we had done things differently; some may even regret past decisions that chose career advancement or certain relationships over God. Ironically, we are less apt to consider what our life would have been like, without the abiding presence and constant intervention of God. This is the big “What If.”

The Scriptures are clear: sin leads to death and all of us have done plenty of sinning. Thus, being “swallowed alive” (i.e., suffering the full consequences of our sins) is not just what could have been, but what should have been. Being swept away is not just an unfortunate possibility but what we deserved. Judgment without mercy was completely God’s right. Yet in His grace, God chose mercy, meaning we don’t get the punishment we truly deserve. In Christ, the believers are spared of receiving God’s wrath for their sins (Rom. 5:9); in Father’s love, we are disciplined (only to the extent that we can bear- 1Cor. 10:13) for our own good (Heb. 12:5-12).

Take a moment to consider what life would be like apart from Christ. What would you still be a slave to? Apart from the grace of God, what would the consequences of your love for sin be?

Prayer: Father, I thank You that Your mercy is so abundant in my life. Apart from You, I would have faced certain death, misery, and wrath. But in You, I have been given life and joy. Thank you for giving me freedom from my slavery. May You grant me grace so that I would spend my life praising You in gratitude for all that You have freely given me. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 1:18-23: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Questions to Consider

Is the truth of God’s greatness and power a hidden mystery? Why does it appear to be hidden?
From where can we know of the greatness of God?
Considering the darkness described in this passage, what has the Lord delivered us from?

Notes

No, the greatness of God is plain. It appears to be hidden because we willingly suppress the truth because we prefer unrighteousness. For instance, many atheists choose to deny God’s existence for personal reasons such as, “I don’t want anyone telling me what to do.” Instead of admitting to it, they hide behind the façade of intellectual doubts.
In all of creation. Our ordinary day clearly proclaims the greatness of God. Only our willful blindness prevents us from seeing His eternal power and divine nature.
The wrath of God, ungodliness, suppression of the truth, futility in thinking, foolishness of heart, and the substitution of the living God for created things.

Evening Reflection

Consider your day. What blessings, even those you tend to take for granted, would be impossible for you to possess if God had left you in your sin?

August 26, Monday

Today’s devotional written by Cami King, who served as a staff at Symphony Church (Boston) and Journey Community Church (Raleigh) from 2011-2018, was first posted on November 19, 2014. She will begin serving as a staff at Remnant Church in Manhattan in September.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“What How We Handle Criticism Reveals About Ourselves”

Proverbs 10:8, 17

The wise person accepts instructions, but the one who speaks foolishness will come to ruin . . . 17 The one who heeds instruction is on the way to life, but the one who rejects rebuke goes astray.

I overheard a conversation at my church recently where one of our members told another about a bad day at work. I didn’t catch all the details (I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping, after all), but it seems as though he’d made a mistake on a project at work and his boss was less than pleased. As another brother tried to comfort him, this guy said something that surprised me – “It’s really OK. I realized that my boss only says something in these situations if he cares about the person and believes he has the potential to do better. There are people who mess up all the time and he doesn’t bother to waste his breath. So I’m actually really glad about it. It sucked at the time, but I’m really glad he took the time to correct me.” Wow, what maturity!

Very few of us enjoy being corrected. But much like this brother from my church demonstrates, correction only stands to benefit the one who chooses to receive it. We are all bound to make mistakes. There’s no shame in that; no one is perfect. But how do we handle correction in response to our mistakes? Do we receive it and make needed adjustments? Or do we get defensive, wounded, and ultimately ignore the advice that could help us?

One Christian writer explained: “When we are criticized we ought to ask ourselves whether the criticism contains any truth. If it does, we should learn from it, even when it is not given with the right motivation and in the right spirit.”

How will you handle correction today? Be it from your boss, your spouse, a parent, a friend – correction will come as we are all bound to fall short in some way and have our errors pointed out for us by someone else. As the two proverbs above explain, it behooves us to have receptive hearts, remembering that (1) God still accepts us even though we fall short and (2) He will enable us do better if we are humble enough to receive help.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, for thousands of years, You have patiently corrected Your people like a loving Father corrects a child. For that I thank You. Help me to have a humble heart and receive any correction You send my way today through the people around me. Thank you for accepting me in my imperfection, but loving me enough to perfect me.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 3:12-17: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Questions to Consider

What do you learn from verse 16 about the role of other believers in your life?
Why is it important that Paul writes what he does in verses 12-14 before verse 16?
Is there a brother or sister you need to teach or admonish today? Is there a correction you need to receive today?

Notes

Our brothers and sisters in Christ are there to help us by teaching us things we need to know and by correcting us when we are in error. No one can grow in Christ alone. And as we help one another in this way, the “message of Christ dwell[s] in us richly.”
We are called to teach and admonish one another, but motivation with which and manner in which we do so is important. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, bearing, and forgiveness should mark our interactions with one another.
If yes to the former, do so in Christ’s compassion and gentleness. If yes to the latter, do so knowing that God is blessing you with instruction through those around you.

Evening Reflection

Proverbs 12:1: The one who loves discipline loves knowledge, but the one who hates reproof is stupid.

Do you love discipline or do you hate reproof? What are some ways God challenged you today regarding correction? Pray and ask God to grant you humility to be a teachable person and compassion to speak the truth in love.

August 25, Sunday

Today’s blog is written by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Can Anything Practical Come out of the Trinity? (2)

John 3:35

“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands.”

I began talking about the book The Shack in yesterday’s blog. My focus was on how the Trinity is presented in this novel based on a true story of a grieving father’s spiritual journey after the murder of his youngest daughter. Today, let’s focus on the theme of unity in the book.

God the Father, represented by an Aunt Jemima-like African-American woman (who says about herself, “I am neither male nor female but a Spirit”) told Mack the protagonist, “Don’t ever think that what the son chose to do didn’t cost us dearly. Love always leaves a significant mark . . . We were there together.” Confused, Mack responded, “I thought you left him—you know—‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” to which the Father explained, “Regardless of what he felt at that moment, I never left him.” While the Father placed everything in the hands of Jesus, He never left the Son, especially when he was hung on the cross.

Another poignant reminder of the unity of the Trinity was when the Holy Spirit, represented by an Asian woman, said to Mack, “Remember our conversation earlier about limitation.” This puzzled Mack because he had that conversation with the Father, not with the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Holy Spirit gently reminded him, “You can’t share with one and not share with us all.”

I thought that was beauty-fully stated: The Three Persons are perfectly united in purpose and unity! When you speak to One, you’re speaking to the other Two. This, then, is the relationship model that ought to inspire us to strive after, beginning with our family and church.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 16

Prayer: Heavenly Father, empower me to be one in purpose, in Christ, with the members of my family, both physical and spiritual. Lord, help me to be less selfish and more caring. Inspire me to imitate the ways of the Trinity, in unity and in intimacy. Amen.

August 24, Saturday

Today’s blog is written by Pastor Ryun Chang.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Can Anything Practical Come out of the Trinity? (1)

Matthew 3:16-17

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

One reason for our silence on the doctrine of the Trinity is because of its apparent lack of practicality to daily living. It is sort of like: “Just know the formula, 1-in-3 & 3-in-1, so that no one will accuse us of being heretics!” And it’s not like we truly grasp the Trinity either.

Someone wrote, “Even the best metaphors fail to capture the complexities of God’s being. In fact, when Christians attempt to explain the Trinity, they often stumble into metaphors that sound suspiciously like the very heresies Trinitarian theology was developed to counteract! But even if you conquer the intimidating task of explaining the meaning of the Trinity, you may face an even more momentous challenge: demonstrating why it matters”—that is, both theologically and practically.

Well, I don’t recall reading anything practical or devotional about the Trinity until I read the novel The Shack (in 2008), which dealt with a grieving father’s spiritual journey after the murder of his youngest daughter. Certainly, it’s not a theologically flawless book; nonetheless, it shows where we can find both the model and inspiration for unity and intimacy that we all yearn for in our relationships: from the Trinity.

Perhaps nothing captures the unity and intimacy existing among the Three Persons in the Trinity quite like the scene depicted in the above passage: the Son rising up from the water after being baptized, the Spirit descending like a dove to honor the Son and the Father proclaiming, “This is my beloved Son . . .” So united in purpose; so intimate in fellowship.

As I was reading this book, I was drawn to it precisely because those qualities—unity and intimacy—seem to lack in my family life (because of me). How about you: Don’t you want the same? The inspiring model is found in the way the Three persons relate to one another—in unity and intimacy. (More on this tomorrow)

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 14-15

Prayer: Lord, help me to truly embody unity and intimacy that has existed eternally among the Three Persons in the Trinity. Help me to become such a person in my family, work and church. Amen.

August 23, Friday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Charles Choe (Tapestry Church in Los Angeles), was originally posted on December 2, 2014.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Cause and Effect”

Proverbs 13:13

“Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.”

When I was seventeen years old, I was persuaded of the need for God because the poor choices that I was making that often led to troubles, even with the law. Choosing to trust my own instincts and letting my heart dictate my choices led me to dissatisfaction in so many areas of my life, including with my family and friends. I felt lonely and abandoned, with very few meaningful relationships to speak of. In a word, I was miserable.

Today’s passage is brief, but profound in its simple application. It is a classic study in the principle of “cause and effect”. Solomon warned his son that sorrow, pain and destruction are the end of a man who has contempt for God’s Law and despises the instruction of the wise.

One might ask, how do we despise the word of God? The world might simply mock it as a product of ancient times, but those who follow Christ, certainly, we don’t see like that. But contempt comes in many forms. As Christians, we often show contempt for God’s Word in a subtle manner. When we disobey through our indifference to God’s Word, we show that we despise God’s Word in our hearts. Solomon warns us, it’s this lack of regard for God’s Word that will lead to our destruction.

The converse is true, as well. If we revere and keep his commandments in our hearts, we will find ourselves on the path that leads to rewards. There is a synergy, a mutual harmony between hearing and heeding God’s Law and the quality of one’s life. It’s when we obey and follow God’s Word we find the desires of our hearts met. Adhering to the Word of God and accepting the teachings of the wise will keep us from the snares of life.

How much do you consider the Word of God each day? Or when you make a decision about the future? Or when you engage a person in the conversation, how much of what you say is being filtered with your honor for God’s Word?

Prayer: Dear God, help me not to depart far from your Word this day. May your Holy Spirit remind and elucidate truth of God’s Word to me throughout this day. I want to cherish your words. May it show in the way I think, talk and go about this day.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Galatians 6:6-8: Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. [7] Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. [8] For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. [9] And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. [10] So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Questions to Consider

The law of cause and effect is clearly seen in verse 7. How do we reconcile it with the Gospel of grace?
Why are we encouraged not to grow weary in doing good?
What is something that you are sowing now, during this particular season?

Notes

The ultimate consequence of sin-death—is removed by the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ. But the effects of sin can have visible and immediate ramifications.
In due season, we will reap from our good works.
We can either sow seeds that lead to good or bad fruit. Consider perhaps an “innocent sin” that you are toying with. Or perhaps, you should be encouraged that the good work that goes unnoticed today will reap a great reward.

Evening Reflection

Like the birds of the air avoiding the power lines, which of the above “Red Flags” do you need to see? Pick one and spend time in prayer right now asking God for the wisdom to avoid it.

August 22, Thursday

Devotional Thought for Today

“Please, Don’t Put God in a Box that You Designed”

1 John 4:1-6 (ESV)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

In teaching us to test the spirits to see whether they are from God, the apostle John is clearly inferring that there is an intermingling of both good and evil spirits at work in the life of the church. In other words, there are both angelic and demonic influences, as well as true versus counterfeit spiritual effects. This passage lays out clearly the biblical marks on which we can definitively say that something is a genuine work of the Spirit of God. However, during seasons of revival, you have to wade through a lot of impurity to get to the gold that must be refined. In my experience with conservative evangelical Christians, they don’t often have the patience to get through the impurity, so instead of testing the spirits, they make premature judgments.

Perhaps, the most popular criticism is that the effects seen during revivals are unusual and seemingly outside of clear biblical norms; therefore, they must not be from God. The problem is, there are some of us who don’t like things that happen outside of the normal routine: We want church to be a constant. And so when something extraordinary happens in the church, the first trumpet that is often sounded is that it is unbiblical. It’s here that we need to understand the difference between unbiblical and biblical silence.

Let’s take the example of people falling, weeping, trembling, and experiencing other physical effects. Is this unbiblical or is the Bible simply silent? Most of us would agree that the Bible is more or less silent in regards to these things, and that it is possible for God to move in these ways. Strangely, the greatest defender of revival was Jonathan Edwards, who was an ardent believer that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit had ceased. But after seeing the Holy Spirit move through his congregation, he wrote: “What the church has been used to, is not a rule by which we are to judge; because there may be new and extraordinary works of God…We ought not to limit God where He has not limited Himself.”

The Scriptures are filled with God working in surprising ways, and I believe that He is preparing to move in new ways in our churches. Let’s prepare ourselves in both heart and mind to discern and receive the works of the Spirit.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, we invite You to fill our churches and our lives. Help us to discern Your voice daily and to obey You without delay. We pray that You would silence the voice of the enemy that often confuses us, so that we can follow Your leading with an undivided heart. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 2:1-13: “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Questions to Consider

What was the occasion for this extraordinary event in the book of Acts?
How did the crowd react?
How did Peter explain this phenomenon?

Note

The occasion for this event was the day of Pentecost, which in Judaism traditionally commemorates the giving of the Mosaic Law. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost signifies many new things, including the start of the New Testament church and a new way of looking at the Old Testament through the illumination of the Spirit.
The crowd reacted in various ways. Some were amazed because they heard the gift of tongues in their own languages, while others were skeptical, accusing the disciples of being drunk.
Peter was able to wade through all the confusion and excitement of the morning and show that this was consistent with what was written in the Scriptures.

Evening Reflection

How is your spiritual state? If you are in a dry period, pray that God would refresh you and bring you into a new season of intimacy and worship! If you are doing well, pray against becoming complacent, but that you would seek to grow all the more.

August 21, Wednesday

Today’s devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on May 7, 2014. She continues to serve the Lord faithfully in E. Asia.

Devotional Thought for Today

“You Would Be Like the Cretans If You Lived There”

Titus 1:12-14

“One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: ‘Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.’ 13 This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith 14 and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.”

The island of Crete. After looking at some photos, all I can say is that if I lived there, I could see myself becoming, if not a liar or evil brute, perhaps at least a lazy glutton. The photos remind me of a tropical island I once lived on for a year. It was said that throughout history, foreigners who had tried to colonize this island had had the hardest time getting the people to work, reason being that the people had never needed to work to survive. The soil on the land was so fertile that it didn’t need to be worked. Fruit trees grew on it, and when the fruit ripened and fell to the ground, the seeds would get embedded in the soil, rain would fall, and a new tree would sprout in that place.

Interestingly enough, though, this island also had one of the highest suicide rates in the world. The weather on the island was also beautiful, but each day was the same as the day before, which would be the same as the day after. It sounds like paradise, but it was almost as if they were literally dying of boredom. In having nothing to work for, the people had no purpose in living.

Liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons. “So stay as far away from them as possible,” or, “So don’t expect too much from them.” These are some things Paul could have said. Yet when Paul was able to see what the Cretans were like, agreeing with their prophet, saying, “Yes, this is true,” instead of using his discernment to judge, criticize or put them down, he uses it to advise Titus as to the best way to help them. Paul knows that because of their natures, they will need to be rebuked sharply, but he has hope for and believes that they can change. He desires for them to be firmly grounded in their faith. Perhaps he was also able to see something more to their story that he doesn’t mention here, seeing them through God’s eyes, with a heart of compassion.

Prayer: Lord, how great is your love. You see the people of this world, with all their flaws, and you respond in love. If I see the weaknesses of others today, would you help me not to judge but rather have your heart of compassion? In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 11

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 12:7-31, 13:2,8: “[12:7] Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit . . . 10 . . . to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits . . . 31 . . . And yet I will show you the most excellent way . . . [13:2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing . . . 8 Love never fails.”

Questions to Consider

What do the following spiritual gifts have in common: message of wisdom / knowledge, prophecy, discernment (vv. 7-8, 10)?
In what manner were the people to exercise their gifts (v. 31, v. 13:2, 8)? Why do you think this would have been particularly important for people who exercised the gifts mentioned above?
What should we be careful about when God reveals things to us?

Notes

They all have to do with revelation; something that was hidden that is revealed to someone supernaturally by God.
In love. When hidden things are revealed, sometimes those things that were hidden were hidden for a reason – whether because the topic is sensitive, embarrassing or could be misunderstood. Because of this, love is required to handle these kinds of revelations in the way God intended.
Having insight into situations or the characters of people, including weaknesses, is a gift. Knowing what to do with one’s insights requires incredible wisdom and love. The good news is, the wisdom and love of God himself are available to all who ask him (James 1:5). So let us ask and receive.

Evening Reflection

Did God reveal anything today to me about others and the situations they may be in? Do I need to intercede in prayer? Any action I need to take? Let’s ask the Lord for wisdom and love to handle such revelations well.

August 20, Tuesday

This AMI Devotional QT, prepared by the staff at Remnant Church Westside (NYC), was originally posted on September 15, 2013.

Devotional Thought for Today

“Clinging to the Lord”

Psalm 88:8-18

You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 9 my eye grows dim through sorrow. Every day I call upon you, O Lord; I spread out my hands to you. 10 Do you work wonders for the dead? Do the departed rise up to praise you? Selah 11 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? 12 Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 13 But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you. 14 O Lord, why do you cast my soul away? Why do you hide your face from me? 15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless. 16 Your wrath has swept over me; your dreadful assaults destroy me. 17 They surround me like a flood all day long; they close in on me together.18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.

Out of all the Psalms written in the Bible, this particular psalm seems to end on a low note. The psalmist seems to point his finger toward God and declares that God is the source of all his troubles and iniquities: his friends have deserted him; he feels no escape from his circumstances; he feels cast away from God, and helpless. Yet, with the overwhelming frustration and hopelessness, we find that he consistently and daily cries out to God. The psalmist pours out all that is within him, hopeful as well as bitter emotions unto the Lord and reminds God that all His works are seen in the light of His people.

As Job once spoke in 2:10, “Shall we receive good from God and not trouble?” we see that the psalmist is wrestling with what seems as though God Himself is working troubles and difficulties in his life. Instead of turning away from the Lord, giving into despair, or turning to other for answers, the psalmist clings to what he knows of God. He clings in hope, as seen in his prayers and cries to the Lord. He declares that God works wonders and establishes praises among the living, and they experience His steadfast love and faithfulness. Even when all his situations tell him otherwise, the psalmist clings to the truth of who God is and what He does.

Do you find yourself easily turning away from God and clinging to other “saviors” in the midst of difficulties? Remember who God is and what He has done. Cling to the Lord during those times; learn to wrestle in prayer (Col. 4:12).

Prayer: Lord, remind me to cling to You every step of the way. Help me to cling tightly specially when storms of my life turn into a hurricane and wind waves become tsunami waves. May You continue to be the anchor for my “soul, firm and secure” (Heb. 6:19). Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:14-18: Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

Background tidbit: The main offering in both Roman and Jewish sacrifices was the killing of an animal. The drink offering would be a cup of wine poured over the sacrifice (c.f., Numbers 28:6-7).

Questions to ponder

What tarnishes our light before the world? Are there things that you are currently “grumbling” about? What are some of the disputes that you are involved in? Is repentance in order?
What does the expression “the day of Christ” (vs. 16) mean?
How is your joy today? Are you feeling “poured out”? That’s a natural feeling for those who strive to the serve the Lord. Ask God for strength and for the filling of the Holy Spirit, that your worship of Him may be filled with joyful adoration!

Note

It is interesting that the apostle Paul focuses on complaints and disunity as a means of tarnishing our light. It gives us a glimpse into God’s perspective regarding “drama” in our relationships and in our church.
“The day of Christ”—The eternal state is prominently on the apostle Paul’s mind and serves as a matter-of-fact motivation for the Christian life. He was so heavenly-minded that nothing on earth could shake him.
Verses 17-18 have a lot to say to the “sour-faced servants”—people who serve with a scowl on their faces. Surely, Paul’s joy wasn’t rooted in his current circumstances, for he was in prison at this time, but it was a God-given inner attitude unmoved by his circumstances.

Evening Reflection

2 Corinthians 7: 6-7: “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more.”

Prayer: “Lord, you will always be my Comforter. I trust that no matter what condition I’m in, whether I’m troubled, confused, fearful, or just tired, you will come to me as my Comforter. Your comfort may come through another person, and I will receive those you send to minister to me.”

Tonight, ask God to show you how you can comfort others with your thoughts and actions and take the focus off yourself.