August 15, Friday

REPOST Today’s Devotional Thought for Food, originally posted December 7, 2018, is provided by Andy Kim. Andy is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Body”

Ephesians 2:18-22

 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

In a recent survey by Dave Olson, the director of the American Church Research Project, found that at least 80% of Christians today believe they can be Christians and not be a part of church. In an age where modern beliefs of individualism and liberalism are celebrated, people have fallen into the misconception that their personal relationship is what matters and church is merely optional. Some have even walked away from the church completely due to past hurt experiences. 

But in our passage, Paul points us to a fundamental truth that the gospel was more than just about individual salvation, but about communal redemption. When Christ redeemed our relationship with the Father, consequently all of our other relationships were now redeemed through Him. For, before Christ, our relationships with others were like that of strangers and aliens. There were more things that separated us and we have all witnessed the costs of such divisions. But through Christ, we come together to be the household of God, meaning we are invited into the very family of God. This is the beauty of the gospel and the church Christ calls his bride. 

A pastor said it like this: “There is nothing like the local church when it’s working right. Its beauty is indescribable. Its power is breathtaking. Its potential is unlimited. It comforts the grieving and heals the broken in the context of community. It builds bridges to seekers and offers truth to the confused. It provides resources for those in need and opens its arms to the forgotten, the downtrodden, the disillusioned. It breaks the chains of addictions, frees the oppressed, and offers belonging to the marginalized.” The vision Paul puts before us is the church becoming the very temple of God—in other words, a place for all to encounter His presence. And in His presence, we would see the community of God coming together as one to worship Him. May we restore our hope in the church and remember we are part of something far greater than just ourselves. 

Prayer: Father, we thank You that You not only invite us into a relationship with You, but into a new relationship with one another. In a world where division and hate can be so prominent, we know that in You, we become the family of God. May our churches become the very temple of God where Your presence dwells. 

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 20

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 3:12-16: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Questions to Consider

  • Why does Paul command us to put on these things? 
  • What does Paul reveal as our motivation to love one another?
  • What would this look like in our lives? How does this change the way we treat one another? Are there people that come to mind as you read this?

Notes

  • Notice Paul commands us to put on these attributes. The phrase “put on” is like that of putting on clothes something we would consciously do everyday. Paul is saying don’t expect these attributes from others, but we should put these on ourselves despite how others treat us.
  • Paul says to forgive one another as the Lord has forgiven us. In other words, our ability to love others does not come from our strength, but from an overflow of Christ’ love for us. Paul sums up everything by commanding us to put on love above all things. 
  • Paul paints this image of what this would look like if everyone did this—a church that keeps each other accountable through the word while worshipping and praying for one another. Personal Reflection.

Evening Reflection

Rodney Stark, probably one of the most influential sociologists of our time, studied the spread of Christianity in the world. He realized “the spread of Christianity did not expand because of individuals going out, but because the community of Christ, became so fundamentally different for others to see, they were naturally drawn and attracted to these communities.”

Spend some time praying for your local church. Let us pray that our churches will become communities so different that people will see the love of Christ in the way we love one another. Pray for your leaders and members to have this desire. 

August 14, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on November 15, 2018.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Wisdom in Stewardship”

Proverbs 6:6-11 (NIV)

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! 7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.

One important lesson I’ve learned over the last decade was around what it means to work hard and prepare for the future. When it comes to how we value resources, most people exist somewhere between obsessive saving & accumulation of wealth, and excessive spending & accumulation of commodities. The former category hoards money and tends to find security in the size of their savings, while the latter hoards products and tends to find security in possessions (brand name fashion, luxury cars, etc.). You probably can categorize yourself as either a spender or a saver, based upon which group you judged the most.   

And when it comes to work ethic, there are those who work hard, and those who play hard. The former category oftentimes toils anxiously, believing that their future success and the meeting of their needs is solely contingent upon their efforts. The latter, instead of idolizing work, idolizes leisure. They chase experiences and prioritize free play over strict schedule, because they believe this will make them happy. Our family of origin and the culture in which we were raised usually determines our bent toward one or the other.  

While condemning laziness as a quick route to poverty, our passage for today does not simply encourage everyone to become work-obsessed and committed to saving. We know it’s God, in grace, who provides for us even as we work (this is why Jesus encourages us to pray to God for our daily bread). Instead, the passage is calling for WISDOM. Like the ant, we must all learn to read the seasons, knowing when it’s time to store and when it’s time to gather. When it comes to resource management of time, talent, and treasure, we honor God most when we prayerfully discern our present moment—is it time to work or time to rest, time to spend or time to save? 

Faithfulness means both working hard during the day and resting well during the night. Good stewardship requires both saving, so that we are positioned and free to be a blessing, and spending, so that we might delight in the blessing of God. We honor the seasons when we work with diligence and faith in God’s provision, and rest with delight and thanksgiving for God’s blessings. 

Prayer: Almighty God, thank You for Your daily care. Help me to discern when it’s time to work faithfully for You, and when it’s time to rest peacefully in You. Help me to know when it’s time to save diligently for Your glory, and when it’s time to spend joyfully toward that same end. Strengthen me in the areas where I am weak. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 16:1-13 (NIV): Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ 3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’6 “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Questions to Consider

  • In the first parable, what is the manager commended for? How is Jesus encouraging believers to behave as it relates to their wealth? 
  • What is Jesus’ point in vv.10-12? Why is trustworthiness important? 
  • Jesus ends by talking about the allegiance of our hearts. Why is this important in the conversation about wealth management?

Notes

  • The manager is commended for being shrewd (or a clever business person). Jesus uses this story to encourage believers to be highly shrewd when it comes to their own wealth (we should be excellent and do our best in whatever our field of business might be) but not for ourselves, like the manager. Instead we are shrewd for the sake of blessing others and building the Kingdom of God. We accumulate wealth not for status and friends in high places, but for the sake of bringing friends along with us into the highest place—the family and Kingdom of God. 
  • Jesus does not juxtapose faithfulness with unfaithfulness; instead he sets it opposite dishonestly. It is important that we are faithful to the opportunities and with the resources God gives us. And we are to do this not only shrewdly, but honestly and with integrity.
  • Most of our problems when it comes to resource management—whether we save or spend, work a lot or a little—is not what we are doing, but why we are doing it. Our hearts should be committed to God and our efforts should be toward the end of building the Kingdom of God. So when we go above and beyond at work, our excellence is not to build our own name, but to exalt God’s name. When we save and when we spend, we do so toward the end of increasing the family of God and building God’s Kingdom. 

Evening Reflection

Luke 12:16-26-31: And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?  31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 

Reflect on the passage above. Are there ways you’ve been foolish like the rich man in Jesus’ story? In what ways do worry or fear guide how you manage your earthly resources? In light of the passage below and all we’ve studied together today, how might God be encouraging you to adjust your perspective on your resources?  Spend time speaking with God about these things. 

August 13, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 2, 2018, is provided by Christine Li. She has been faithfully serving as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan for a long time.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Something Old, Something New”

Jeremiah 26:1-2 

Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word. 3Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you, 5and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened), 6then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse among all the nations of the earth.’ ”

Earlier this month, I was on Instagram scrolling through the account of a worship leader. She posted something that seemed particularly relevant and timely for me. When I started reading, I thanked God for ministering to me through her words. As I read on, I realized that she was actually quoting The Message version of a passage I had read earlier in the day. Oops—turns out that the word I needed to hear and take to heart was in front of me all along. Sure, the wording was different, and I may have been more receptive as a result, but I felt a gentle reminder that God’s word is available for me to listen to—and I should pay more attention!

If we were to compare Jeremiah and his hearers in their obedience, one might point out the glaring difference is that Jeremiah hears directly from God, while the rest of the people may not have had such clarity. However, it is clear that God has always been speaking to His people. He Himself reminds the people that His law was set up, so that they could listen and live in a way that brought fellowship with Him. God’s people did not need “special access” similar to Jeremiah’s in order to faithfully listen and live. They had exactly what they needed in front of them!

I confess that I too-frequently ask God for something different and new—something insightful, something “fresh” to my ears, maybe something supernatural. I go to many other sources: books, articles, songs of worship, friends, etc. But there are a couple thousand pages that I have not diligently perused, and I have forgotten thousands of things that He has revealed in those pages. If we will humble ourselves to focus on His words, we will surely hear Him and know how to follow Him. We might find that Martin Luther did not exaggerate when he said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me.”

Today, let’s approach the Word with fresh and eager openness, remembering that He speaks—and has always been speaking—to us through the Bible. We do not need anything “extra” to meet with Him today. When we read with His Spirit, we will hear Him clearly.  Let’s ask Him to open our hearts and tune our souls to commune with Him. 

Prayer: Father, open my ears to hear You speak. Your Word is unchanging, and I want to encounter You through it. Give me the ears to diligently listen to and obey everything You have already placed in front of me. Amen.


Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 18

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 2:11-18: For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters,] if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Questions to Consider

  • What does John say is the primary message of God passed to us?
  • According to John, how can we live out the command of God in our lives? 
  • The passage urges us to love not just with words but in action and in truth. Let’s take time to ask God to reveal to us how we can grow in love this way.

Notes

  • The message of God sent to us from the beginning is love. God’s redemptive intention for the world has been one of reconciliation through His agape love—and His generous, proactive love gives us the richness that we may love one another with.
  • John writes about loving in a way that reflects that of Christ’s love: sacrificial, generous, and compassionate. Unlike Cain, who hated his brother, the love that God gives us allows our love to surpass our selfish and jealous temptations. We will lay down our lives and give our own resources to serve our brothers and sisters.
  • Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

How was your time with God today? Were you able to focus a little better to hear Him through the Word? Let’s think on how we can continue to make hearing Him a natural, consistent part of our lives.

August 12, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional Spiritual, first posted on August 20, 2018, is provided by Hee Jung Lee. Hee Jung, a graduate of Biblical Theological Seminary, serves at Catalyst Agape Church (New Jersey) along with her husband Pastor Sam Lee. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“You Are Loved”

Jeremiah 31:3-6

The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! You shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice. You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food.  For there shall be a day when the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim, ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.’ 

Perhaps every young girl dreams of a chivalrous man who would one day woo her and sweep her off of her feet with a story of happily ever after. This is often the fairy tale we see in films, and it appeals to the heart because deep inside everyone (men and women) is longing to be loved in such a way. This longing of love is to be desired, chased after, and unconditionally committed to. The truth is that we need not long for it, because we are already receptors of such a fascinating love. 

Over and over again, the Word of God assures us of this most chivalrous love for us. “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel!” (vv.3-4). When Prophet Jeremiah spoke these words, the Israelites were in a great state of bondage and dryness. They appeared to be a desolate people that others could look upon and mock as if their God had forsaken them. Yet the Lord’s love had never departed them, and He makes known His intentions that His plan of rebuilding them is in motion, working on their behalf. 

Perhaps as you are reading this today, you are in a similar state of feeling of dryness and desolation. If this is the case, let God reveal His heart towards you with His Truth as He spoke it to the people of Israel. He loves you with a love that goes on into eternity until the day you see Him face to face. His lovingkindness is over your life, and God will allow His kindness to be greatly evident over you as He is working in your life to bring you into a place of gladness and rejoicing. The key is to allow the Word of God to dictate what is reality over you rather than the feelings or the circumstances at hand. As you position your inner man to the superior realities of His Truth, you are positioning yourself to receive and permitting the Lord to deposit His love into you. 

So be greatly encouraged and hopeful that God has His eye on you, and that His unfailing love will be made evident in your life more and more!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking of Your love to me today! Thank You that nothing can separate me from this incredible love of Yours. I recognize that Your plan over me is to bring me into a greater experience of Your love and into every good thing that has been prepared for me. Thank You for such a great promise that is at work on my behalf! In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:38-39:  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Questions to Consider

  • How has your love meter with God been lately? Meaning, are you feeling loved by God? Are you loving towards others?
  • What are the benefits to having a clear promise and truth available to you, versus using your feelings as evidence of another’s affections towards you?
  • Why is knowing that you are loved without fail so important to your well-being?

Notes

  • One way to gauge whether we are full in God’s love towards us is by our capacity to love others, especially in their low points. In 1 John 4:19, it says, “We love because He first loved us.” When our hearts have been broken free into receiving this truth, then we find a more natural tendency to manifest God’s character as well as find His love channeled in our thinking and behavior.  Being loved by God, loving God, and loving others are all interconnected and inseparable.
  • Feelings are not necessarily truth. God has provided us His clear Word in order that we would have a concrete meter by which we can gauge what is reality and what is not. It is to our great comfort that God assures us of His unfailing affections regardless of ourselves.
  • We were created for relationship—relationship with God and others. The health of our spirit, soul, and body depend on the health of these two factors. Real love that God provides as defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 satisfies the soul and sustains the body in extreme health. 

Evening Reflection

We began the day by considering how committed God is in His love for us. How were you able to carry this truth in your heart today? How did it affect how you approached your day?

August 11, Monday

REPOST Today’s Devotional Thought for Food, originally posted December 3, 2018, is provided by Andy Kim. Andy is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. 

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“A Miserly Living—Not What the Lord Has in Mind for Us”

Ephesians 1:3-8

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight

Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Green was an American businesswoman who pioneered the way for women on Wall Street. Earning her name as the “Witch of Wall Street,” Hetty was not only known for her investment strategies, but also her frugal and miserable living habits. Rumors have it that she moved from rundown house to another to avoid taxes; ate cold oatmeal to not pay for hot water; and drank disease prone skim milk over the more expensive whole milk. Once her son injured his leg in an accident and she delayed treatment in search of a free clinic. This resulted in having her son’s leg amputated. Some even claim her penny-pinching habits caused her own death. But here’s the irony of it all: she died as the wealthiest woman in history with a $100 million to her name, equal to over $2.5 billion today! What a sad and ridiculous way to live! 

And it’s precisely this type of living Paul warns the believers against. More often than not, we tend to live more out of what we don’t have, than what we do have. We say things like, “If I had this, then I’d be able to…” or “It’s because I’m not this, I am this way.” Sadly, we have everything at our fingertips, yet we find ourselves miserable and empty. These are the lies of this world and Paul paints a completely different picture for believers in Christ. He says that as believers we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing and lavished with all the riches of His grace. These are blessings entirely independent of us or even our circumstances, for they are blessings unconditionally given to us through Christ. Brothers and sisters, we have more in our accounts than we could ever imagine!

The most regrettable part of Hetty’s life was that she constantly lived in fear and anxiety, never being able to fully enjoy life. May our lives not be marked by such fear and anxiety, but may our lives be marked by the unending grace we find in Him. For in Christ we have more than we could possibly ask for—both a fullness and joy found only in Him. 

Prayer: Father, we bless Your name, my soul blesses Your name. Thank You for all the blessings You have graciously poured over my life. Jesus, help me to remember I have been given everything I need in You. May I live out of Your abundance.  Amen.

Daily Bible Reading: 1 Kings 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:14-17: For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Questions to Consider

  • Who is a child of God? What are the blessings of His adoption?
  • What is the difference between the spirit of slavery and the spirit of adoption we have received? How does receiving the spirit of adoption change our relationship with Him?
  • How does Paul address suffering? What is the relationship between our adoption and suffering? 

Notes

  • Sonship to God is not a universal status to everyone. John 1:12 says, “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” To be His child is a right given to us by the Father and to those who are led by His Spirit. As children, we have an intimate access before Him and an inheritance assured to us. 
  • A spirit of slavery is driven by fear. However, the spirit of adoption affords us the privilege of crying out to Him as father. The word “Abba” is an Aramaic term modernly translated as “daddy.” In other words, our adoption affords us intimacy, access, and a relationship with the Father.
  • Suffering is a mark of our sonship with the Father in this world. But this suffering points to a glory awaiting us as heirs of God. The glorious riches available to Christ have also been available to us provided we suffer well. 

Evening Reflection

Have you ever seen a toddler fall or lose something, and their first instinct is to cry out for his mommy or daddy? Even if somebody would assure him that nothing was wrong, the only thing that can comfort him is the presence of his mommy or daddy. It’s this primal instinct that captures this cry of “Abba” Father. Take a few moments to reflect on this idea of crying out to God as “daddy.” What emotions or feelings come up? 

In the same way, may we learn to cry out to Him, believing that in times of need only He can comfort us. Spend a few moments reflecting on this truth. Remember, as His children, we may approach Him in full confidence as our Father. In all things, may we turn to Him first. 

August 10, Sunday

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on May 26, 2018, is provided by Jennifer Kim who had served as a staff in multiple AMI churches in the past, She is a graduate of Boston University (B.A.) and Alliance Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Heed His Word”

Jeremiah 6:11b-21 

Pour it out on the children in the street and on the young men gathered together; both husband and wife will be caught in it, and the old, those weighed down with years. 12 Their houses will be turned over to others, together with their fields and their wives, when I stretch out my hand against those who live in the land,” declares the Lord. 13 “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. 14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace. 15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord. 16 This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But you said, ‘We will not listen.’ 18 Therefore hear, you nations; you who are witnesses, observe what will happen to them. 19 Hear, you earth: I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they have not listened to my words and have rejected my law. 20 What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.” 21 Therefore this is what the Lord says: “I will put obstacles before this people. Parents and children alike will stumble over them; neighbors and friends will perish.

The first year that I started as the youth pastor at Catalyst, I was enthusiastic, excited, and filled with idea upon ideas of all the ways I would lead our youth to love and serve the Lord. Sermon prepping, event planning, and discipleship was a complete joy, and I instantly fell in our love with my kids. It was about two years into my stint when I was bombarded with certain life circumstances that began to take a toll on my physical body, as well as spiritual and emotional health. What used to be exciting became a drudge, and it was about that same time when I saw my youth kids begin to struggle with complacency and lack of excitement for our youth events. I had my wakeup call when I was preaching a message about Jesus as the true King, and each one of my students— even the active participants—seemed disengaged. I knew at that moment that my actions, attitude, and spiritual life was seeping into the very lives that God had entrusted me with; and I needed to do everything I could to get well, not only for myself, but also for my students.

Today we read of God’s destruction upon the land of Jerusalem for their failure to follow “the good way” and listen to the call of the Lord. He rejects all the burnt offerings calling them unacceptable, and pours His wrath on both young and old, husband and wife, prophets and priests, and the least to the greatest. While we would imagine that our loving Father would spare the lives of the weak and young, we see that Jerusalem’s failure to heed the word of the Lord causes the entire nation to fall into the judgment of the Lord.

Our very actions have consequences to, not only ourselves, but those around us. If you are a teacher, your attitude and preparation affects how your students will learn; if you’re a parent, your emotional health will affect the way you love and discipline your child; and if you’re a husband or wife, your intimacy with the Lord will affect your intimacy with your spouse. The cost of sin is not just one that stays in the parameters of your personal life; it affects those around us because we were created in relationship and for relationship. Today let us assess how we are doing in our spiritual, emotional, and physical health and actively take charge to transform the areas that need work. The stake of our health in these areas is not just our well-being but also those around us!

Prayer: God, I thank You for Your loving mercy that covers a multitude of sins. But help me to see that in the midst of Your grace, there are consequences to my sins. Help me to steward all that You give to me so that I may be a blessing to all. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 15

August 9, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted May 12, 2018, is provided by Claudia Robbie. Claudia is the admin and women’s ministry leader at JCA.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“You Are Not Enough”

2 Corinthians 12:9-11 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


YOU ARE NOT ENOUGH… These words ring in my head all the time. This thought has been a part of me for as long as I can remember. It highlights that I am weak and drives my desire to prove my own strength and my own worth.

As I get older, the thought has become more subtle and harder to identify, but in the end, most of my struggles come back to the foundational thought that I am not enough.  When I don’t fulfill the expectations of those around me as a wife, a mom, a staff person, a daughter, or ultimately as a person, I am faced with this idea that I am not enough. 

This world tells me that I can have it all, and at the same time leaves me with the feeling of failure when the “all” doesn’t match with the glossy magazine covers of perfect looking women and the amazing lives depicted in social media or marketing campaigns. I see quotes on empowerment encouraging us to remember that we are enough and we have the power within us to do great things in the world—leaving us in a place of want when we do not see the change we so wish to see in a broken world. 

The truth is, I am weak and I can’t do anything apart from God. I cannot possibly juggle marriage, motherhood, and ministry on my own. I have tried for years to do it all and to get everything just right, but in the end failing at it, feeling exhausted and at the end of my rope, with no hope of being good at anything.  

However, the end of my rope is the start of where God met me. When I dealt with infertility for 2½ years before conceiving my daughter, I constantly felt inept and inadequate as a woman. My emotions were so volatile that I was extremely difficult to live with. I was once again a failure and not enough, but God met me where I was. He used that season to teach me how to submit to His plans and to give my weakness to Him. He prepared me for the seasons to come so that I would bring glory to Him. 

Do you hear that you are not enough? In whatever you are doing, that thought can push you to rely on yourself to dig deep and be strong. But I urge you to submit your weakness to God, because His power is made strong in your weakness.

Prayer:  Lord, thank You that I can come to You with all my brokenness and weakness because You are the strength of my life—You are enough for me.  Help me to incline my ears to Your voice, and not to the voice of the world.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 13-14

August 8, Friday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on October 16, 2018. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Did It My Way”

Jeremiah 45:5

And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go.”

Part of the issue that I see in the world today is what some have called “expressive individualism.” It is the idea that personal expression and fulfillment is the highest reality. It sees the actualization of self as the ultimate priority in life. The manner in which culture and our own lives have been affected by this ideology is profound. For one, since the goal of life is to self-actualize, we live in a posture that commodifies everything around us as a means of taking us one step further in our pursuit of fulfillment. We want to find greatness for ourselves, and any and everything can be used for this very purpose. For example, we see this play out in our relationships. People are often used for our happiness, where our commitments remain strong only if there is something beneficial for us to be had. This is precisely why divorce rates are sky high. If the other person does not bring us some net gain, we don’t see the point of staying in the marriage. Anything that stands in the way of self-fulfillment can and should be discarded. Greatness of the self is our culture’s meaning and purpose of life. 

In our passage today, we find the enigmatic scribe Baruch saddened and disappointed by the inevitable and impending judgment upon Israel. It seems that Baruch saw this as an opportunity to find greatness. Perhaps he envisioned himself as Israel’s savior, who could save them from being decimated by foreign nations. Although this might sound noble and heroic, verse 5 suggests that this desire did not stem from some righteous devotion to his people, but it was out of a personal aspiration for greatness. And this blinded him from seeing that judgment was part of God’s inevitable plan, and that the proper response was to surrender himself to the plans of God. In the midst of impending tragedy, Baruch only saw an opportunity for his own greatness. 

In a culture where the self has been exalted to divine heights, it is easy to be blinded by our pursuit of self-actualization. Even the church is often used to give us what we need so that we can find the energy and inspiration to continue looking for our own definition of greatness. It is so easy to be absorbed into this way of life. Social and cultural pressures to live in this manner are difficult to fend off. However, we must look to the cross of Jesus Christ to define what it means to be great. It is the path of self-denial rather than self-exaltation. Let us surrender ourselves to God and find our greatness in what He has done for us rather than what we can do for ourselves. 

Prayer: Father, help me to follow Your example of greatness that I saw demonstrated on the cross. It is so easy to be tempted to live in the same way as the world, but help me by the power of Your Spirit, to live a life of self-denial and surrender. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:1-11: So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Questions to Consider

  • What is Paul’s main command in this passage? 
  • What is the mind of Christ that Paul wants the Philippians to have? 
  • What is one area in your life where there is a desperate need for humility?  

Notes

  • Paul desires the Philippians to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” It seems that even in the 1st century, selfish ambition was a problem that needed to be dealt with in the church. 
  • The mind of Christ is one of humility that expresses itself in counting others more significant. In the second half of the passage, Paul details how Christ humbled Himself and emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant and taking on human flesh. However, His humility did not stop there; He chose to lower himself even more by dying even on the cross, which was full of shame. And it’s precisely because He chose self-denial that God exalted Him to greatness! This is the path we must also imitate. 
  • Go ahead and humble yourself with respect to the area where you need it the most, and then see how that changes things—beginning with your own heart. 😉

Evening Reflection

What are some ways that you are pursuing after greatness for yourself? What areas of your life are marked by selfish ambition? Take some time to reflect and ask God to help you surrender those areas of your life to Him. 

August 7, Thursday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on October 11, 2018, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Idols of Our Hearts”

Jeremiah 44:15-18

Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, 16 “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord! 17 We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.”

This past year, a sister from our church has been facing persecution from her family. Every Sunday morning is a battle for her to come to church—most of the time she is able to come, but other times she has to stay home. But praise God, her faith is still strong! Recently, her family bought a large golden Buddha statue and placed it at the front door. Uncomfortable with this act, the sister asked her parents why they did that, and the parents replied that this statue will provide good fortune, luck, happiness, and prosperity to the family. Many people in East Asia still have idols set up in their homes, not only for religious reasons, but they believe that it will  bring some form of luck into their homes. 

In this passage, Jeremiah had just finished warning the Jews residing in Egypt that God is displeased with them—not only for residing in Egypt, but for worshipping Egypt’s gods. Their response reveals their rebellious heart towards God. First, Jeremiah writes that the men “knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods.” Knowing full well that God detests idol worship, the men still allowed their wives to perform rituals before the Queen of Heaven. This is outright rebellion towards God. Second, the men and women respond: “We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors….” There is no sense of shame, guilt, or remorse for their actions.

But their rebellion is not without reason. The men and women explain that when their ancestors worshipped the Queen of Heaven in Jerusalem, there was plenty of food, wealth, and no war. However, after the idols were removed, there was pain and suffering.

Like the Jews in Egypt, we may have idols in our lives. Though we are not enticed by idol altars in our local Chinese restaurant or the idol sitting in our History Museum, our idols come in different forms, such as social media, traveling (wanderlust), work, or even relationships. While they may look vastly different from idols in the Ancient Near East, these idols falsely advertise the same thing; fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace. Just as the Jews residing in Egypt believed the Queen of Heaven provided for them, we view our idols in the same way. 

We may find satisfaction in finding the perfect job, traveling to beautiful places, or joining different causes—all of these are blessings, but they can become idols. We begin to live for these blessings, rather than living for the Creator who gives us these blessings.

As God’s children, we were created for the purpose of worship. Through this relationship with God, we are truly satisfied and fulfilled. We need to be careful to not let other affections—even good affections—get in the way of that relationship. 

Let’s ask the Lord to give us the strength to remove and purge those things that get in the way of our worship to the Lord!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for providing so many blessings in my life. However, I know I can treat these blessings as idols in my heart. Help me to love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 11

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 17:11-19: Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Questions to Consider

  • Why were the ten men shouting from a distance?
  • What was significant about Jesus telling the 10 lepers to show themselves to the priest?
  • What was Jesus’ response to the Samaritan returning to thank Him?

Notes

  • Because they were lepers, and according to the Law of Moses, lepers were considered unclean and could not approach anyone. 
  • Instead of laying hands on them, He tells them to show themselves to the priest. This reveals His authority, but also reveals the faith of the lepers. While they trusted Jesus to heal them, to approach the priest without knowing for sure they would be healed was risky. 
  • Jesus was impressed by the returning leper’s gratitude, and He points out to the disciples that this man was a Samaritan. In fact, Jesus gives extra blessing to this man by saying, “Your faith has made you well.” Jesus most likely meant that the leper’s faith has healed his heart as well.

Evening Reflection

This evening, take some time to think about things that rob your worship to God. One indicator is how much time you spend on an activity or think about a certain topic. Afterwards, ask the Lord to help you take steps to take a break from these things, so that you can focus on the Lord.

August 6, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s Devotional, originally posted on November 5, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Son.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Truest Identity”

Jeremiah 51:5

For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the Lord of hosts, but the land of the Chaldeans is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel.

Disney’s “Tangled” is one of my favorite movies of all time. If you haven’t watched it, the basic premise is that a girl named Rapunzel is kidnapped as an infant, and held captive by a wicked woman who pretends to be her mother. Rapunzel grows up thinking that this villain is actually her mother, until one day she begins to realize the truth about who she is. One of my favorite scenes in the film is precisely the moment she realizes her true identity; she is in fact the daughter of the king! In that moment, everything about Rapunzel’s life changes. She realizes her true worth and she discovers who her true enemy is. The reason I love this movie is because I see a biblical principle at its core… our truest identity is defined by our relationship to the King.

In our world, there are numerous ways to define oneself: ethnicity, gender, occupation, degrees you’ve earned, grades, etc. But, without taking away the validity of any of the above, this principle is still true: our truest identity is defined by our relationship to the King. What I mean is that, in light of eternity, your identity in God weighs more than what you have accomplished in your lifetime.

At first glance, our passage seems harsh, and even a bit unfair. After all, Israel and Judah were not sinless nations either. In fact, the Old Testament talks more about the sins of Israel and Judah than it does about the sins of the Chaldeans (Babylon). Then why are Israel and Judah remembered and the Chaldeans condemned? I’ll tell you, it’s not because one behaved better than the other. Rather, it’s because of their relationship to God. Israel was not remembered because they were better… but rather because the Lord was “their God”. In the same vein, the Chaldeans aren’t condemned because they were worse, but instead because they stood “against the Holy of One of Israel”. This is the reason the Gospel is simultaneously a stumbling block to the self-righteous and also the power of God to save sinners.

How do you define yourself? Though many may acknowledge that they are children of God, it’s very easy to be sucked into different identities in the workplace, at school, or among family. Today, let’s remember our truest identity, that we are sons and daughters of the King.

Prayer: Father, thank you that our truest identity is not one that we need to earn. But to all who believe in Jesus’ name, You gave the right to become children of God. Help us to live in the reality of this identity. Remind us of our true worth, and who the true enemy is. In Jesus’ name we pray.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 10

Lunch Break Study

Read: John 1:9-13: The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Questions to Consider

  • Who is John referring to in this passage?
  • According to John, how do the children of God become children of God? 
  • What does this passage say about our identity as children of God?

Notes

  • John is referring to Jesus. This is made even clearer in the surrounding verses of this text.
  • According to John, the children of God are…
    • NOT born of blood. In other words, the children of God isn’t passed down through biological family. This is counter-intuitive to what the Jews believed about being God’s chosen people. 
    • NOR of the will of the flesh. In other words, you don’t earn the title “child of God.”
    • NOR of the will of man. In other words, you can’t be given the title “child of God” by any other person.
    • But of God. In other words, your identity as a child of God is made possible only by God, and it’s received by believing in Jesus’ name.
  • The passage implies that our status as children of God is not one that was earned by us. We aren’t children of God because we did better, or are somehow more qualified compared to anyone else. We are who we are because we believed and God gave. This gives us no grounds to boast, but rather, we should earnestly seek to share this good news!

Evening Reflection

There are many “Rapunzels” today, who are living within the lies and playing by the rules of a false identity. Many don’t know the true hope that the Gospel brings. This evening, spend some time praying for those who are living this way, that they might come to realize the identity that they were created for.