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.

August 5, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on July 30, 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

“Pushing Through”

Jeremiah 25:1-3 

The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. 2 So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah and to all those living in Jerusalem: 3 “For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.”

The “midlife crisis,” as commonly called, is a phenomenon when individuals who feel dissatisfied with the repetition and pace of their life may desire to make some drastic changes. Factors could range from the unhappy observation that their stamina and energy are slipping or that their best efforts are not applied in meaningful places. Individuals may quit their jobs or begin to spend their time pursuing exciting hobbies that will stimulate them: fast cars, thrilling travel excursions, etc.

Jeremiah might likely have encountered a similar crisis. He has been going to the people for twenty-three years, and still no progress has been made. Time after time, he entreats them to amend their ways, but they continue to rebel. But he has not yet given up. It is possible that, at some point, he must have wondered whether his best years were well spent serving a people who continued to ignore his prophecies. How much longer must this continue?

We will all encounter some hard times and situations that may seem interminably long. What can we learn from Jeremiah to gain some perseverance and not be paralyzed by how far away our breakthrough seems? The most helpful thought I have around perseverance is that it is wholly dependent on grace; it comes from God. Try as we might, we cannot create lasting tenacity in our character. But this is good news for us. Just as Jeremiah perseveres because God continues to equip and send him back to the people of Judah, we too can be similarly strengthened by God.

Do you find that you need strength to persevere? Today, we will not be able to sign up for an ambitious, twenty-year commitment of perseverance. But, we can ask God to make us faithful with each small opportunity that comes our way. By taking a day at a time in His power, eventually weeks, months, and years will pass. Let’s start with today, ask Him to give us the ability and power to plow through, and trust Him to snowball it into a lifestyle of perseverance. 

Prayer: Father, You know that I am weak and do not have the natural stamina to stay faithful and perseverant. However, by Your grace, I can be strengthened to stand firm each day. Help me to take each opportunity to be faithful and create a long-term perseverance in me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 4:4-13: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Questions to Consider

  • The apostle Paul experienced no shortage of discouraging circumstances, yet he suggests that it is possible to always rejoice. How does he instruct the believers here?
  • Paul quickly follows with a charge for the believers to put into practice the things they have learned from him. Why is this?
  • According to this passage, what are the keys to Paul’s ability to stay content in any situation? Let’s take hold of what he teaches and dwell also on the qualities he focuses our attention to.

Notes

  • Paul says that the peace that comes from God guards not only our hearts but also our minds, and he seems to suggest that receiving peace from God is one crucial component for our joy. The first encouragement is prayer: by drawing close to God, we receive peace that He is settling all things on our account. The second instruction is training our minds: we must contemplate excellent and praiseworthy things (the most excellent and praiseworthy being God Himself as, well as the work He has done in our lives / in one another).
  • It is likely that the believers do not lack philosophy or theory here. Paul knows it is not just enough to “know” how to receive God’s peace—the power comes from putting that knowledge into practice. By doing so, the believers will experience both the promised peace as well as the very God who gives peace. 
  • Paul’s contentment does not come from the measurement of what he has tangibly but from the internal spiritual richness. To recap what we have observed, Paul cultivates this by bringing all needs before God in prayer to be reminded that God can provide. He also directs and focuses his thoughts on the beauty and loveliness of God. These actions help Paul stay aware of the spiritual realm and God’s presence, which redefines all his experiences.

Evening Reflection

What are your thoughts on perseverance in current situations? Are there steps we can take to receive help from God? Let’s spend some time reflecting on areas how and where we would like God to help us stand firm.

August 4, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 28, 2018, is provided by Jabez Yeo. He and his family are getting ready to leave for Thailand as missionaries with YWAM.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Pride and Its Destruction”

Jeremiah 50:1-16

This is the word the Lord spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians: 2 “Announce and proclaim among the nations, lift up a banner and proclaim it; keep nothing back, but say, ‘Babylon will be captured; Bel will be put to shame, Marduk filled with terror. Her images will be put to shame and her idols filled with terror.’ 3 A nation from the north will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live in it; both people and animals will flee away. 4 “In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the Lord their God. 5 They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten. 6 “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place. 7 Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty, for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture, the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’8 “Flee out of Babylon; leave the land of the Babylonians, and be like the goats that lead the flock. 9 For I will stir up and bring against Babylon an alliance of great nations from the land of the north. They will take up their positions against her, and from the north she will be captured. Their arrows will be like skilled warriors who do not return empty-handed. 10 So Babylonia will be plundered; all who plunder her will have their fill,” declares the Lord. 11 “Because you rejoice and are glad, you who pillage my inheritance, because you frolic like a heifer threshing grain and neigh like stallions,12  your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who gave you birth will be disgraced. She will be the least of the nations—a wilderness, a dry land, a desert. 13 Because of the Lord’s anger she will not be inhabited but will be completely desolate. All who pass Babylon will be appalled; they will scoff because of all her wounds. 14 “Take up your positions around Babylon, all you who draw the bow. Shoot at her! Spare no arrows, for she has sinned against the Lord. 15 Shout against her on every side! She surrenders, her towers fall, her walls are torn down. Since this is the vengeance of the Lord, take vengeance on her; do to her as she has done to others. 16 Cut off from Babylon the sower, and the reaper with his sickle at harvest. Because of the sword of the oppressor let everyone return to their own people, let everyone flee to their own land.

The problem with pride is that it makes us blind to its existence. I experienced this when I moved to New York City four years ago for a new job. Beforehand, I had been working for 2 years and was actively involved in ministry. Thus, I thought I had the “faithful Christian” lifestyle down pat. However, it didn’t take long before trials in corporate culture, church dysfunction and relational conflicts made me realize that I had, and still have, a long way to go.

At its root, pride contains the belief that we can live our lives apart from God, the giver of life. An egregious example was the Tower of Babel, as “they said ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city . . . so that we may make a name for ourselves’” (Gen. 11:4). This spirit of autonomy was also present in Babylon, a civilization that worshipped gods like Bel and Marduk (Jer. 50:2) while taking pride in their accomplishments such as the Hanging Gardens and Hammurabi’s law codes. Thus, God declared that Babylon would be plundered and that “all who plunder her will have their fill” (Jer. 50:10).

In the New Testament, Babylon continues to serve as a symbol of pride, specifically in Revelation 17-18. Depicted as an adulterous woman, Babylon is denounced by God, along with the kings of the earth who committed “adultery with her” and the merchants who “grew rich from her excessive luxuries” (Rev. 18:4). Thus, God pronounced the destruction of Babylon by declaring that He will “give back to her as she has given” (Rev.18:6), just as He declared to ancient Babylon that He would “do to her as she has done to others” (Jer. 50:15).

Ultimately, there are many ways in which the lie of pride can creep into our lives. As many of us do not live paycheck to paycheck (thank the Lord), perhaps we unconsciously trust our wealth to provide the comfort or status we seek. For others, it might be our accomplishments in work or ministry-related successes. Whatever our struggles may be, let us humble ourselves before the Lord to recover the sense of our absolute dependence on God almighty.   

Prayer: Father, it is so easy to embrace the thoughts of this world and believe that I make and control my own destiny. Help me remember that this is simply not the case, that every breath I take is only because of Your mercy and grace. Help me to internalize the simple truth that apart from You, there can be no fruit in my life. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Kings 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 16:18-20: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. 20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

Questions to Consider

  • Verse 18 is probably one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. Why do you think this may be true?
  • What alternative to pride does this chapter of Proverbs provide?
  • In light of verse 20, who are the people in your life from whom you could heed instruction? Are you willing to listen to them?

Note

  • God created the world for us to be His image bearers and to reflect His goodness. Pride is the antithesis of that and claims that we can live our lives apart from God.  Thus, it’s not a surprise that anything against God’s purposes will eventually fail. 
  • Verse 19 declares that it is better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed (i.e. the poor). Generally speaking, humble people can be found among the poor or oppressed since they  often feel helpless when they are subjected to discrimination and contempt. 
  • Personal response

Evening Reflection

Jesus declared in his most famous sermon that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3). Ultimately, this brokenness can’t be manufactured by us but is prompted by God, especially when we are undergoing difficult situations. Let’s ask for that brokenness, which acknowledges the simple truth that we cannot live our lives for God without Him.