The AMI QT Devotionals for July 29-30 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang. 

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“He is Good”

Psalm 5:8, 11-12

Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies —make straight your way before me. 11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.  Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

 Sometimes we wonder where God is in our turbulent times and are dismayed when our reality doesn’t change or turn for the better (Ps. 22).  If that’s how we—living in the comforts of West—feel, how much more so for those believers living in closed countries where threats to their lives are a present reality. 

The LORD, of course, has His reasons for allowing all that, which we may find out about later; meanwhile, we mustn’t forget that God remains our shield and refuge who protects us!  It doesn’t mean that He will always deliver us physically, but it certainly means that His grace for us will always be sufficient during our difficult moments. 

What does that entail?  The apostle Paul, locked up in a Roman dungeon, said (2 Tim. 4:17-18), “The Lord stood by me and strengthened me . . . I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”  God surely did that for Paul–rescuing him from the lion’s mouth–nevertheless, shortly thereafter, the Romans executed the apostle anyway . Is God still good?  Paul would say without any hesitation, “Yes, God is good”—ultimately, because of the sacrificial death of God’s Son on our behalf (2 Cor. 5:21).  

So today, take a moment to meditate on the goodness and kindness of our LORD.  Take refuge in Him throughout the day! Are you following God as He leads?  As He spreads His protection over you, are you remaining in Him?  Praying (unhurriedly) and meditating on God’s Word is not sufficient to remain in Him but they are necessary: So, pray and meditate on Scripture today. 

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I recognize Your active involvement in my life, to transform my faith and character, and the way I live.  Thank You for the difficult situations because through them, I experience Your active presence in my life, as my refuge and shield.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 13

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ezra 7:1, 6, 8:21-23: Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah . . . 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him . . . Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king, “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” 23 So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Heb. 12:14: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Questions to Consider

1. Who said this and to whom was this said?
2. Why did this person say this2 (Ez. 8:22)?
3. What really concerned Ezra here with respect to his boss, the pagan king? 
4. Do you think people base their view of God by observing those who claim to believe and 

follow Him (Heb.12:14; 1 Pet. 2:12)?  

Notes

1. The teacher of Law Ezra said this to the Persian king Artaxerxes before making a dangerous trip to Jerusalem that would last for 4 months
2. Having told the king how God protects His people, Ezra felt ashamed to ask him for soldiers and horsemen to protect them from enemies on the road.
3. Ezra was greatly concerned about how the pagan king Artaxerxes would view God based on how he actually conducted himself.  Thus, he gave up the military protection in order to make a favorable spiritual impact on his boss. This necessitated that Ezra really depended on the Lord, which he did. 
4. Both verses imply that, first, unbelievers are watching; second, the holy and kindly manner in which we live can make a favorable spiritual impact.

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Evening Reflection

In reviewing today, what kind of spiritual impact (or lack thereof) did you make on unbelievers at your work or with your family?  Perhaps you thought about doing something but lacked boldness! Pray, therefore, for boldness. Then prayerfully consider who God wants you to reach.

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 29-30 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang. 

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Two Things to Which We Have Become Numbed”

Psalm 5:4-7

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.  5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. 6 You destroy those who tell lies; blood-thirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors.  7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.

When Lot, upon being told of the impending God’s judgment against Sodom and Gomorrah over “their sin so grievous” (Gn. 18:20 NIV), told his sons-in-law to “get out of this place,” they “thought he was joking” (19:14). Having lived in a sin-saturated world for a long time, these men lost the ability to take seriously the things of God.  They, along with others, soon perished. 

Are we any different? Living in a sin-saturated world as well (where people celebrate a law that allows babies to die after birth), we have become numbed to sin. We even change labels to make sin appears as if it is a physiological condition, i.e., disease or syndrome (e.g., a book on mental disorder calls infidelity, hypersexual disorder).

Thus, the concept of a loving God is much easier to accept than a holy God who hates sin!  But none of this changes who God is and the holy life that He commands us to live (1 Pet. 1:15). God isn’t demanding us to be holy and moral so that He can accept us; rather, He asks us to trust that what His Son accomplished on the cross is sufficient to redeem us from sins.  

Look, you can call sin whatever you want but that doesn’t change the fact that sin costs (e.g., eternal separation from God), hurts, and ultimately robs us of a joyous and meaningful life.  But, in Christ and through the Holy Spirit, God gives us the power to overcome sin! So, what issues are you currently struggling with? Don’t delay dealing with them; go to the Lord, today!  Confess your sins and turn from them.

Nevertheless, even worse that being numbed to our sins is being numbed to God’s grace.  Yes, sometimes we are so numbed spiritually that we don’t realize what we have received from the Lord.  Grace is receiving favors from God that we don’t deserve while mercy is not being punished even though we deserve it.  In what ways has the Lord been gracious and merciful toward you? Confess God’s goodness bestowed on your life and turn toward Him. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know that You are a benevolent and kind God who deeply cares about me.  I bring to You my struggles, which I am not able to overcome in my own strength. Please deliver me from them through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 12

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 8:3-11 (ESV): The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Questions to Consider

1. Who said this and to whom was this said (Jn. 8:3-6)?
2. Why did Jesus say this, presumably after writing the Law on the ground (James 2:10-11)?
3. Why did Jesus get rid of the hostile leaders before speaking to the woman (Ps. 51:3-4)?
4. Was He being lenient toward sin?  Why did He let her go like this (Jn. 5:14; Rom 2:4)?

Notes

1. Jesus said this to the religious leaders who brought a woman caught in adultery to entrap Jesus.
2. Those accusing her acted as if they had never sinned, forgetting that it takes only one sin to make the person a sinner
3. Ultimately, it was none of their business, for she sinned against God, not against them. Also, since they were sinners themselves, they had no right to condemn her.
4. Jesus was showing the way of the New Covenant (NC), established on His perfect sacrifice, by showering her with grace and mercy. The NC is not lenient on sin, for Jesus said to her, “Leave your life of sin” and to the man healed of paralysis, “Stop sinning or something worse may happen.”  But through His kindness, Jesus was leading them to repentance.

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Evening Reflection

We began the day dealing with a difficult issue: our struggle with sin.  Were you tempted to sin today? How did you fare? Did you sense His presence in overcoming it?  Pray for His guidance and protection over all that will go on tomorrow.

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 25, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Power of Words”

Proverbs 25:11

“A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”

Once again, we are reminded of the power of our words.  I have realized that we need to ask God for much wisdom for the words we choose to say, how we will say it, and even the tone we will use.  We can avoid much unnecessary “drama” if we get all these three into a much healthier and wiser place. Ask for wisdom to speak words that will bring great blessings to those around you. 

So, I suggest today that you write a letter of encouragement to about three people.  You should send it to them or keep it and send it some other time. Also, write a letter to yourself about how you can be wiser with your words.  To whom are you in the habit of using your words unwisely? Ask God for grace to change this cycle. 

Prayer: Lord, give me wisdom to say something wise and loving to those I love.  Let my words edify, not tear down. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  2 Kings 11

Today’s blog, written by Pastor Young Kim of Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia, was originally posted on June 24, 2013.

 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Loving the Unlovable”

Proverbs 24:17-18

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,18 or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.

Someone told me that I should pray for those whom I had difficult time liking.  I was asked to pray that God’s favor and blessing would be poured upon those who really rubbed me the wrong way.  In the beginning as I took his advice, my prayers were so fake, but slowly I found myself praying genuinely for them.  It took time, but God gave me the grace to have compassion for them. Prayer is powerful—it can change our childish attitudes to be more like that of Jesus.

How about you?  Is there someone you struggle to love? Is there someone who just annoys you?  Is there a person who you dislike so much that you feel good when bad things happen to him or her? Spend time being honest with God about these relationships.  You can complain and be honest about why you struggle. You can even tell God all the reasons you have for not liking them. Then after an honest prayer, you need to repent and ask God’s grace to forgive and love them.  Many times, this is not a one-time breakthrough; it could be a lifetime process.  

Write out a prayer of blessing for them.  You might not be able to finish it but at least start it. 

Prayer: Lord, give me grace to love my enemy and to bless those whom I don’t particularly like.  Give me strength to move from praying a fake blessing to having genuine compassion from the heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  2 Kings 9-10

This AMI Devotional QT, prepared by the staff at Remnant Church Westside (NYC), was originally posted on September 6, 2013. 

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“No, God Hasn’t Changed”

Psalm 85:1-7

Lord, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

In many people’s minds, there is a false dichotomy when it comes to understanding the character of God: that the God of the OT is a wrathful deity, while the God of the New Testament is all about grace and love. Yet, when we examine the Old Testament texts such as this Psalm, God is full of grace and love, and as a result, we are reminded that God is unchanging. The psalmist points to the forgiveness of God in the past as an encouragement to ask for forgiveness in their current circumstances. They are able to call on the character of God for his salvation, forgiveness, and grace; for God’s desire is to see people rejoice in Him, rather than to suffer.

The heart of God for us is not that we suffer, but be redeemed; therefore, He calls us to repent so that God would make us right before Him again and again, instead of driving us out from His presence. Yes, God is angry over sin, but He never changes His desire to redeem us. Therefore, God’s anger over sin and its rightful punishment was taken by Christ on the cross.  This morning, God is asking you to readjust your understanding of repentance. If you have been hiding your sins from God, fearful of what He would say, remember that God’s love for you is steadfast. Ask God to cover your sins; because Christ has taken on the punishment, we can come boldly before Him to repent.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 8

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Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 1:12-14: “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

Paul’s friends were concerned about him being imprisoned or under house arrest, which meant that he was chained to a Roman soldier 24/7, and guards would switch out regularly on shifts. But Paul reassures them, saying that it is clear that he is imprisoned for Jesus, and that it has been a blessing instead of a curse, since he has been able to share Jesus with his captors. It’s as if Paul was saying, “I’m not chained to them … They are chained to me!”

Questions to Consider

1. In what situations do you lose your courage in sharing the gospel? What are some ways we can overcome our fear in such circumstances?
2. If you were chained to someone for eight hours, how long would it be before you would talk about Jesus? How can you bring up the topic of Jesus sooner than that?
3. Has God placed you in a special environment where He wants you to be a witness? Bring this before the Lord in prayer and ask Him for opportunity and boldness!

Background tidbit:

The reference to the imperial guard in v. 13 suggests a Roman setting, which is one reason it is believed that Paul wrote this letter during his imprisonment in Rome.

Note

1. The mere thought of sharing the gospel makes most people feel nervous and anxious.  One way to overcome this fear is to pray for God’s boldness and then open our mouth to speak.  It would help tremendously if we have thought about what to say beforehand.
2. It is hard to remind ourselves of this inevitable reality, but it bears repeating: Our friend or relative who does not believe in Jesus will go to hell. If that doesn’t motivate us, I don’t know what will.
3. Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

“Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power” (Ps. 21:13). 

Jesus, You are inviting me to grow in the knowledge of You, to be strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might so that I may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully give thanks to You. I declare that You will be strong in my daily life and I will praise You.  Tonight, declare His strength over an area where you need to be strong.

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Barry Kang of Symphony Church in Boston, was originally posted on April 4, 2013.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

Why Sing a New Song?

Psalm 33:3 (NIV)

Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. 

As a young Christian, wishing at times that we would sing some new songs during the worship service, I would look to verses like Psalm 33:3 as validation for my desire.  However, upon examining my motivation, I recognized that it was because I was (a little) bored of the old songs (which indicated that my heart wasn’t in the right place).   

So why does the psalmist encourage us to sing a new song to the Lord? It turns out, the answer has everything to do with God and very little to do with us!  We sing a new song to God with our lives and lips as a celebration of the ever- newness of the living God with whom we are in a love-relationship. We sing a new song to the Lord as a declaration that we will not be satisfied with our present understanding of who he is—for he is far greater!  We sing a new song as an expression of trust that God is not only the God of our past but also our present and future. We are to sing new songs because God is still working in us, living among us and shaping and directing us.

Sometimes we can get stuck living in our past glories when it comes to God.  We may reminisce about the days when we were passionate for God and resign ourselves to think that it may happen again.  Well, God is not done with us yet! Let’s ask God today to bring freshness to our hearts even if our relationships with Him have gone stale. 

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You’re not done with me yet, that I have yet to experience and know Your full glory and majesty.  Until then, help me to keep growing in mind and heart, that I may constantly have an urge to sing new songs of Your continuing faithfulness in my life.  In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  2 Kings 7

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Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 43:16-19 (NIV): This is what the Lord says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,  17who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick: 18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”

Questions to Consider

1. Isaiah was speaking to the Israelites who would one day be exiled in Babylon.  How does Isaiah introduce God in verses 16-17? Why would this be significant?
2. Why does God ask the Israelites to no longer dwell in the past?  Since God does not contradict himself, what does he mean here?
3. What is the new thing God is doing in Isaiah 43:19 (cf. Isaiah 43:20-21; 2:3; 65:17-18)?

Singing new songs to God does not mean we forsake the old.  God is still the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is still the God of the exodus.  He is still the God who saved and has loved us through Jesus Christ. But God is not done with us yet.  We have not yet given unto the Lord the fullest praise that is due to him because we still haven’t fully comprehended his majesty and worth.  Until that day comes, there will always be room for new songs!

Note

1. In verses 16-17, Isaiah reminds the people of Israel that God is the God of the Exodus, who brought them through the Dead Sea and defeated the Egyptian armies pursuing them.  God is mighty, savior, deliverer and protector. For the Jews living in exile away from Israel this was an important reminder that what God had done in the past he could do it again.
2. It may seem odd that after reminding his listeners about the great work that God did in the past, he tells them to forget the former things and not to dwell in their past.  Of course, God is not telling the Israelites to disregard what he had done in the past; instead, he tells them to forget their former ways. In other words, they are not to live by their old expectations of God, for He is doing a new thing, and certainly not in their old sinful ways of life.
3. The new thing that God is doing in Isaiah 43 is to regather his chosen people in Jerusalem so that they can give him praise among the nations.  God will be praised among the gentiles now as well as the Jewish people.

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Evening Reflection

Are there ways that you have grown in your understanding and experience of God in recent times?  In your journal, write your own song of praise. It doesn’t have to rhyme, be long or deep, but it ought to be authentic, which means it needs come from your heart; then sing your new song unto God! 

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Mark Chun (Radiance Christian Church) was originally posted on March 6, 2013.

 

Devotional Thought for Today

“Despair Not”

Psalm 22:1-2; 19 (ESV)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?  2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,  and by night, but I find no rest. 19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

There are times in our Christian life when God seems distant and when there seems to be nothing but silence in answer to our prayers.  During those seasons, there is always a temptation to give into our doubts and believe that God has stopped listening or that it’s useless to continue seeking Him. We may feel alone in these circumstances but this is an experience that is common to all believers.  Everyone goes through those valleys in their spiritual walks with God.  

Knowing that Christ endured through a much greater abandonment can be a source of comfort in the midst of our distress.  We know that Christ uttered these exact words from the cross (Matthew 27:46) revealing that even the Son of God was not excluded from the isolation caused by sin.  But because we know that he endured the scorn of the cross and overcame, we can have hope that God’s help is not too far off. 

In our own times of despair, it’s easy to believe that we are alone but the cross reminds us that we have a Savior who not only knows our pain but has suffered through so much more.  To Him, we can cry out and place our complete trust even in the darkest moments.

As you prepare for another day, does God’s presence seem close or is there a distance?  Does it bring you comfort to know that Jesus knows exactly how you feel? Think about how Jesus identifies with our everyday struggles.  

Prayer: Jesus, I take peace in knowing that you have experienced the pain of unanswered prayers and the sense of being forsaken.  But more than that, help me to realize that you endured the rejection and the abandonment at the cross so that I would never have to relive that experience in full.  Give me faith to believe that you are with me through the daily struggles of life and that I can come to you, knowing that you completely understand and identify with me.     

Bible Reading for Today:  2 Kings 6

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Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 4:15-16 (ESV): For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  

Questions to Consider

1. How does Jesus function as our high priest? (Hebrews 5:1, 7)
2. What allows Him to sympathize with all our weaknesses?  (Hebrews 2:17)
3. As our high priest, how does Jesus give us hope?  (Ephesians 4:10)

One of the great comforts of the Christian faith is the belief that we have a high priest who is constantly interceding on our behalf.   We are never left to fend for ourselves and made to feel like no one is on our side. Jesus weeps as we weep and rejoices as we rejoice.   

Note

1. Jesus functions as our high priest by acting as both a gift and sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 5:1).  In addition, he offers up prayers and intercessions on our behalf before the Father (Hebrews 5:7). Jesus even now stands in the gap for each of us.  
2. Jesus is able to completely sympathize with all of our struggles and failures because he is made like us in every way.  The humanity of Christ is one of the most comforting doctrines of the Christian faith because it assures us that God doesn’t stand outside of our suffering but has actually entered into our pain.  
3. However, unlike an earthly high priest that can sympathize with us but gives us little hope, Christ provides for us hope for today through his resurrection and ascension into heaven.  Just as he overcame the trials of this world and even death itself, we can overcome our trials through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

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Evening Reflection

Were you aware of the love of Christ today?  Is your heart warmed by the fact that His love is deeper, wider, and greater than you can imagine?  Has there been a tangible experience of God’s love recently in your life? Write about these things.

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 22-23 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang. 

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“What is Worse than Prayerlessness?”

Psalm 5:1-3

Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3 In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

Matthew 6:5a

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

As the head of Israel, King David was a very busy man, but evidently his morning hours were spent seeking God.  He knew that once his day got going, it would be difficult to spend time with Him. This wasn’t a brief and hasty encounter with God, for David pleaded, cried out, and waited on the LORD.  

So, how do you typically spend your morning hours?  Do you think it can be better utilized to promote spiritual growth? As a new day is about to commence, is there anything that tugs at your heart, causing you to worry?  Take a moment to lay your burden before God. Ultimately, our prayerlessness means that we neither trust nor rely on God. 

But an act worse than prayerlessness is praying to be noticed by men in order to be perceived as spiritual—apparently, the religious leaders in Jesus’ days—the Pharisees—made art out of it. Nevertheless, this is something that tempts everyone, for most of us have done the same, perhaps through other “spiritual things” such as, biblical knowledge or church involvement. The core issue is the basis upon which our security is built: our performances or God’s unconditional acceptance of us in Christ?

What’s the trap when we try to earn people’s acceptance through our performances?  It works like an addiction; those who are intoxicated by it will do anything (e.g., tell lies, spread gossips, stage events) to keep their audience.  Before mobile phones became available and affordable, the car phone was the in-thing in the 1980s. Some people, who couldn’t afford this, would install a fake car phone antenna in the rear to pretend that they had one.  What a cover up for insecurity!  How can we overcome living like that?  Based on Paul’s confession in 2 Cor. 12:9 (“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me”) what is one way to deal with our insecurity?  It is willing to be vulnerable through sharing our weaknesses and then share how Christ continues to heal and strengthen those and other areas of our lives.   Try it today. 

Prayer: Lord, give me the wisdom and discipline  to seek You first in the morning. I lay before You all my burden, for You are gentle and humble in heart, and Your yoke is easy and burden is light. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 5

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:1-5: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 

Questions to Consider

1. Who said this and to whom was this said (Mt. 5:1)?
2. Why was this taught2 (Mt. 16:5-6, 11, 23:2-3)?
3. What was in it for the Pharisees to behave like this?  What were they willing to do to get what they wanted (Mt. 23:5-6; Mk. 11:18; Jn. 7:31-32)?

Notes

1. Jesus said this to a large crowd that had followed him to a mountainside to listen to him.
2. He was concerned that they may learn to act like the Pharisees, their hypocritical leaders (“Don’t do what they do”).  Bad spiritual leadership can really affect people; thus, we need to be judicious in choosing our spiritual leader.
3. Having gotten used to receiving approval from the audience, the Pharisees craved for more and were willing to do anything, like praying ostentatiously before people to impress them (thus, making spirituality a means to a carnal end), or conspiring to eliminate their competition, that is, Jesus (thus, breaking the very commandments they had taught the people to obey).

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Evening Reflection

Were you busy today?  Too busy to pray or too busy not to pray? Write out a prayer asking God for strength to trust Him amid your trials and those things that make you feel insecure.

The AMI QT Devotionals for July 22-23 are written by Pastor Ryun Chang. 

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Anger”

Psalm 4:4-5, 7-8

In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah  5 Offer right sacrifices and trust in the Lord.  6 Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. 7 You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. 8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Anger is one emotion most of us know all too well; I certainly do.  Now that all my three children have left home to lead their own life—and we’ve good relationships, this despite my many shortcomings as a father—that’s one thing I wish I could’ve done a lot better: being patient over blowing my top. Typically, after my tantrum, I would feel guilty and condemned, mostly self-inflicted but the enemy was always glad to lend a hand to make it worse.

The truth is that, regardless of how one is provoked, an unresolved anger “gives the devil a foothold” (Eph. 4:27), for it will began to chip away at our joy, peace, and freedom in Christ.  Blaming others is always easier but when our hearts are silent before the Lord, the Holy Spirit will show us our faults as well. 

Once, I got really upset at my wife because she interrupted me while I was praying in the morning. (One of our children had called from school for something urgent—for him). Upon seeing my anger, she asked, “With whom are you spending your time?”  The subtext was this: “How can you respond that way if you were spending time with the Lord?”  This, of course, made me more upset. 

Two days later, while I was praying a Scripture suddenly flashed through my mind: “Do not be overrighteous.” That was from Ecclesiastes 7:16a. So, I quickly repented of my self-righteousness and immediately apologized to my wife, who, by the way, vowed never to bother me while I’m praying. (Trying to prove that I truly repented, I invited her to test me by “interrupting” my prayer again; she retorted, “No way.”)

So how was the weekend?  Did anything or anyone make you feel upset or even angry?  What does that say about you as a person and as a Christian?  (The said anger suggested that I was a self-righteous person.)  Before leaving home, ask the LORD to grant you the courage needed to make things right with God and with others.  

Prayer: Dear God, as I start a new week, I desire a life devoid of strife and anger.  Lord, strengthen me to overlook and forgive the faults of others. Help me to not anger others as well. Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 4

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Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 11:15-17 (NIV): On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Questions to Consider

1. Who said this and to whom was this said?          
2. Why were they conducting this business in the courtyard of the temple (Deut. 16:16)?  Was it a bad thing?
3. Why was Jesus so indignant3?  Notice that the business was conducted in the Court of the Gentiles, the only place in the temple where the Gentiles could pray (2 Chr. 6:32).

Notes

1. Jesus said this to the venders of animals and money changers who conducted their business in the courtyard of the temple.
2. Since no one was allowed to appear before the Lord empty-handed, they provided a service for those Jews coming from faraway places who couldn’t bring their own animals for sacrifices. The money changers conveniently supplied the Jewish currency, which they then used to buy the animals—not a bad thing at first.
3. Despite this, the Jews still had a place to pray in the Temple area but not the Gentiles, since their place was now occupied by the Jewish businessmen.  Jesus’ indignation was caused by Israel’s complete disregard for the spiritual welfare of the Gentiles. That’s why the Lord declared that the Temple is a house of prayer for all nations.

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Evening Reflection

Earlier, we reflected on not allowing our unresolved anger to rob us of our joy and peace.  As you look back, did anyone anger you today, or did you anger someone? How did you do deal with it?

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Trust Me”

Jeremiah 42:9-18

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: 10 If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. 11 Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. 12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. 13 But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God 14 and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’ 15 then hear the word of the Lord, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: If you set your faces to enter Egypt and go to live there, 16 then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. 17 All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them. 18 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more. 

I recently finished my first season of coaching my son’s baseball team.  That was also my last. A friend of mine advised me to coach, telling me it would help my sports dynamic with my son; the idea being that instead of looking at me as his dad telling him what to do, he would listen to me as the coach, especially if he saw the other kids on the team doing the same.  Maybe it worked for my friend, but for us, we butted heads. Example: I told my son to use a lighter bat because I thought he needed more bat control; he refused. Perhaps it was an ego thing, like telling a dude to drop weight in the gym. I do think that 75-99% of all fathers and sons will butt heads, because sons fundamentally want to prove themselves to their dads (to be fair, I’m sure I have a part in our fights too).  But to some measure, I think my son is kind of competing with me and sees me as someone he has to overcome or exceed, in order to prove he has grown up (sounds like Wild at Heart, John Eldridge).  By the way, I also think that this competing dynamic plays out in less dramatic ways for a many mothers and daughters but  less severe in cross gender relationships, as I think my daughter would love me to coach her soccer teams.  

What bothers/hurts me the most about this situation is that my son totally misunderstands me.  I’m never trying to embarrass him or prove that he’s not on my level; in fact, the opposite is true. I’m trying to put him in the best position to succeed, because when he does well, I get happy.  Sometimes that means checking his pride at the door and using a lighter bat, or it means working on a skill that is difficult for him; but ultimately, it means trusting me.  

Granted this is an oversimplification, but the narrative of the Old Testament can be summarized by the Israelites’ desire to show God that they don’t need Him.  Often it comes across like their goals for themselves compete with God’s goals for them. An example of this is shown in the end of the book of Jeremiah: this time, after their city is in ruins, the Lord tells them to stay in Judah; don’t flee to Egypt.  Perhaps, the people thought the Lord was punishing them more to really drive His point home; yet, what we see is God’s desire for their good. In verse 10, the Lord tells His people that if they stay, He’ll build them back up and plant them. But alas, once again, the Israelites think they know best; they are like the 10 year old trying to show dad how he’s become the man who knows best.

How are you doing with the Lord?  Do you feel like you’re competing against Him—your will  against His? Stop trying to prove you know better or that you’re all grown up—be His trusting child.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust that You are good, and I don’t need to compete with You.  Though I want to mature, let me never want to grow so much that I think I don’t need You or I know better than You.  Give me a child-like spirit. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 3 (Yesterday’ reading should’ve been 2 Kings 1-2)