April 19, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Breaking the Pattern”

Exodus 22:21

You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

Growing up, I didn’t get to spend much time with my father. My dad was a pastor, and he devoted most of his time to ministry. Often, he would leave for morning prayer at 5AM, and return home near my bedtime. I do think that I am very blessed to have the dad that I have. He is a man of integrity and grace. And for that I am more than blessed. But I would be lying if I said that I didn’t wish he could have spent more time with me.

The ironic thing is that now I find myself in my dad’s position: pastoring a church, while raising a family. And for the first time in my life, I am beginning to see a generational pattern. Furthermore, I discovered that my dad grew up without a father as well (my grandfather passed away when my dad was a child). So in short, for as many generations as I know, the children in my family have always struggled to know intimacy with their dads. I haven’t fully figured it out yet, but my prayer is that God would help my family to break this pattern of fatherless-ness.

But if you really sit and think about our verse for today, it’s hardly fair! God commands the Israelites to treat sojourners (foreigners) well, because the Israelites were once sojourners (foreigners) residing in the land of Egypt. But if you remember… the Israelites were not treated well by the Egyptians at all! In fact, they were oppressed slaves! Why, then, does God expect the Israelites to treat their foreign residents kindly?

This passage is calling for a break in the pattern. Yes, the Israelites were treated terribly in Egypt… but by the grace of God, they can break that pattern. Now that the Israelites were in the position of hosting foreigners, God commands them not to act upon their previous experience, but rather based upon His grace.

Which area in your life is God calling for a break in the pattern? Perhaps it has something to do with the way you grew up. Maybe a certain hurtful experience from the past has shaped the way you treat others. Let’s come to the Lord and ask Him to help us live in His grace today.

Prayer: Father, on our own we cannot help but be shaped by our experiences. We only know how to treat people based on how we ourselves have been treated. But today we want to remember how You treated us. Although we were sinners You loved us, and although we were orphans You brought us into Your family. May we treat others based on how You have treated us.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Cor. 2

Lunch Break Study

Read John 4:19-21: We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Questions to Consider

According to John, what is the driving force behind our love for others?
In the passage, whom does John call a liar? Why?
What is the commandment that John highlights?

Notes

John says that we love because God first loved us. In other words, God’s love for us is the fuel that empowers us to love others.
John says, if anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. He explains that it is much easier to love a human being whom you can see, than to love an invisible God. Therefore, if someone claims to have an intimate loving relationship with God, and yet they cannot even bring themselves to love a fellow human being… there is something wrong with that.
John says, “Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” The word “must” means that it is not an option, but rather it is mandatory! If we say that we love God, then we must also love others.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time this evening praying for your church. Let’s pray that our churches become places where sinful patterns are broken and replaced by God’s grace and love.

April 18, Thursday

Devotional Thought for Today

“A Dangerous Ox”

Exodus 21:28-29, 35-36

When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. But if the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not kept it in, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death…

When one man’s ox butts another’s, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and share its price, and the dead beast also they shall share. Or if it is known that the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall repay ox for ox, and the dead beast shall be his.

There is a verse in the book of Hebrews that scared the daylights out of me when I first read it. And I think it’s something that many of today’s Christians need to hear. “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,” (Hebrews 10:26). To be clear, the author of Hebrews is not saying that there is a sin that’s too big for Jesus’ blood to cover. Of course not. Jesus’ blood is more than enough to cover any and all of our sins. However, what the author of Hebrews warns against is a spirit of rebellion. This is when someone knows the truth of the Gospel, understands the grace of God… and yet they willfully choose to live in sin. This type of behavior, according to the author of Hebrews, is not acceptable.

Today’s passage from Exodus 21 reflects a similar sentiment. In the passage, God explains the protocol for when an ox gores a person or another animal. Notice that if the owner had prior knowledge, the penalty becomes much more severe! In a way, the passage is saying, ‘How can you, after coming to knowledge about the dangerous nature of your ox, refuse to do something about it? This type of mistake is not an accident, it’s rebellion.’ Although this passage seems to be about oxen (a subject that is hardly relevant to us today), it also reveals a deeper principle… that once we come to know something, God expects us to take action on it.

The question for this morning is this: Is there any willful sin in your life? Is there a dangerous ox in your life that you know about, but haven’t taken action on? If so, it is not something that should be taken lightly! Instead, we should bring it to our Lord with a heart of repentance.

Prayer: Father, may we not live in the immature ways of our past. Instead, as we grow in the knowledge of You, may our actions follow suit. Give us grace, courage, and clarity this morning to deal with any willful sin that has gone unchecked. We bring it to you in repentance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Cor. 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 10:26-29: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

Questions to Consider

How did the Law of Moses treat those who deliberately rebelled against it?
According to the passage, what does the Mosaic Law tell us about deliberate rebellion against Jesus?
What exactly is the author of this passage warning against?

Notes

Read Numbers 15:27-28, 30-31 – “If one person sins unintentionally, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement before the Lord for the person who makes a mistake, when he sins unintentionally, to make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven… But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. Because he has despised the word of the Lord and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be on him.” In the Old Testament, the Mosaic Law ordered that anyone who committed willful sin be utterly cut off from the people.
The passage compares rebellion against the Mosaic Law to rebellion against Jesus. It highlights that a rebellion against the Son of God is worthy of much worse punishment.
If this passage has struck some fear into your heart. That is most likely a good thing. But it is important that we fear the correct things. The passage is not saying that we must live a perfect life, no is it saying that certain sins are too big in magnitude for Jesus’ blood to cover over. The passage starts off like this, “if we go on sinning deliberately…” The author is warning against living a lifestyle of willful sin after coming to knowledge of God’s saving grace. For such a person has already heard the Good News, and yet they still have chosen to live in rebellion to God. This is what we must be careful of!

Evening Reflection

Spend some time tonight meditating on Psalm 32:1-7

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

April 17, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“An Opportunity for Grace”

Exodus 21:15,17

“Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.”

“Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.”

Back in August of 2018, when I first landed in Taiwan, one of the first things I noticed was a big sign in the airport that read, “Drug trafficking is punishable by death in the R.O.C. (Taiwan).” Of course, drug trafficking is prohibited in most countries; I already knew that. But I was surprised by the severity of the punishment. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, Taiwan is very serious about stopping drug trafficking.’

I was reminded of this while preparing today’s devotion because our passage today contains an even more shocking rule: whoever strikes… or even curses… his father or his mother shall be put to death! According to this passage, many of us (including myself), should be dead already. My immediate question was: Why does God institute such a harsh punishment? I can think of 2 main reasons:

It shows just how serious God is about honoring parents. In our culture, it seems that with each successive generation, honoring our parents has become less and less of a priority. But it’s clear in Scripture that God values the honoring of parents. From the Ten Commandments, all the way to Paul’s exhortations, the Bible reinforces the importance of children honoring their parents.

But really? The death penalty? Was that really necessary? Yes! I believe that God demands this extreme punishment for a second reason…

It provides an opportunity for grace. Proverbs 19:18 reads, “Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.” I do not think that in giving this rule, it was God’s desire to see all rebellious children put to death. Instead, His desire was for children to understand the incredible importance of honoring parents. At the same time, the severity of this rule provided parents an opportunity to show grace towards their children, by withholding punishment and issuing discipline instead.

I believe that this rule reflects the heart of our Heavenly Father. He demands perfect holiness from us (Lev 19:2), and anything short of holiness is punishable by death! This not only reveals the importance of holiness, but it also created an opportunity for God to display His grace toward us. Consider how the spurned father treats his prodigal son: “Bring the best robe and put in on him” (Lk. 15:22). That’s grace—which was ultimately demonstrated on the cross.

Today let’s pray for a deeper reverence for God’s laws and His holiness. Only when we are serious about God’s holiness can we truly understand his grace.

Prayer: Father, may we not take your commands lightly. May we not treat our sins as if they were merely minor nuisances. Remind us of how serious holiness is to You. And as we are reminded, may we understand the depth of Your grace, and joyfully receive Your discipline. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 3:19-24: Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

In this passage, what does Paul say is the function of the law?
According to the passage, can the righteousness of God be attained through the law?
How, then, does one receive the righteousness of God? Who can receive it?

Notes

Paul mentions that the law holds the whole world accountable before God. In other words, the law brings us into the awareness of sin. According to Paul, this is one of the primary functions of the law.
No. Paul says, “but now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law.” This means that our hope for righteousness doesn’t actually come through strict adherence to God’s laws. There is a different source for righteousness other than the law—the one that is given to us for free of charge when we believe in Christ
According to this passage, righteousness comes through “faith in Jesus Christ”. Everyone is in need of this righteousness because everyone has sinned. And anyone is eligible to be justified by grace as a gift.

Evening Reflection

Have you experienced the grace of God recently? I’m not talking about understanding His grace, but rather experiencing it. If your answer is “no”, perhaps it is because you have forgotten the holiness of God. This evening, spend some time meditating on the holiness of our God.

April 16, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Slave Forever”

Exodus 21:2-6

When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

In our day, the word “slavery” carries immense baggage. For today, I invite you to lay aside any pre-conceptions of the word in order to understanding more clearly what God might have to say about slavery. Having done that, I want to take us through this passage by highlighting three observations.

First, at the time of this passage, the Israelites had JUST been redeemed from slavery. Slavery wasn’t a new concept to the Israelites. In fact, a life of slavery was the only life they had known, until God redeemed them from it.

Second, the FIRST group of people God protects is the slaves. This is the first law that God gives to Israel that specifies a social class. In this context, the slaves were fellow Hebrews who found themselves in such poverty, that they had no other option but to sell themselves as servants. God’s first priority was to protect the rights of such people!

Third, God’s rhetoric about “slavery” is remarkably different than the world’s. God’s rule for slavery actually begins with redemption: “he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing.” God is not for slavery. According to Him, all slavery must end with redemption. This is quite contradictory from the world’s understanding of the concept. But that’s not even the most shocking part. Verse 5 describes what would be a nearly inconceivable scenario today: “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.” Who would want to be a slave forever? Why would God include such a strange clause? There is only one scenario in which becoming a slave forever is the most logical choice: when you have a master who is worth serving forever. The Apostle Paul referred to himself as the bond-servant of Christ. This is not to take away from the intimacy that we have with God as sons and daughters, but rather it highlights the worthiness of the Master to be served.

Are you willing to be a bond-servant of Christ? Are you willing to serve Him, and only Him, forever? The more we focus on our own plans/desires, this becomes an increasingly burdensome question. But when we set our gaze upon who our God is, I believe the answer becomes an increasingly easy one.

Prayer: Father, help us to understand what it means to be a bond-servant to You. Help us to trust that the best place to put our lives is in Your hands. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 6:20-23: For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Questions to Consider

In this passage, Paul says that we were once “slaves of sin.” How does he describe our current status?
What does Paul say is the difference between being a slave of sin and being a slave of God?

Notes

Paul says that we were once “slaves of sin,” but now we are “slaves of God.” Of course, we are much more than merely slaves to God. But we are indeed slaves, in that we are bound to God, and committed to Him for life.
Paul highlights one key difference: The fruit of serving sin is death, while the fruit of serving God is sanctification leading to eternal life. Being a slave to sin and being a slave to God is completely different. Nevertheless, we must choose one or the other. We can either serve God… or be a slave to sin.

Evening Reflection

What is driving you? What is the thing that gets you up and out of bed each morning? Whatever it is, this is probably the thing that you are “enslaved” to. That sounds like a harsh way to phrase it. But today we’ve been talking about what it means to serve God. Spend some time tonight reflecting on what/who it is that you are actually serving.

April 15, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals from April 15-21 are provided by Pastor David Son (B.S., UC Berkeley; M.Div., Gordon Conwell). David and his team launched the Thrive Church in Taipei this past November. Stay up to date with the church plant by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“The Purpose of Rules”

Exodus 21:1

Now these are the rules that you shall set before them.

In 2012, my mom and dad became foster parents to an orphan refugee from North Korea. Prior to coming into our home, he had spent his entire life as an orphan, living on the streets of North Korea. As you might imagine, this was one of the most challenging seasons of my parents’ lives. Their primary objective? To help this child understand that he was loved by his family. Where did they begin? Well, after bringing him into the family, my parents began by setting rules. That’s right, rules!

One by one, my parents began implementing rules to help this kid understand what it looked like to live in his new identity as a child of this family—and these rules were very specific. For example:

Do not steal dad’s watch
Eat slowly/respectfully during dinner
Come home by 6pm after playing in the park

The purpose of each of these rules wasn’t to restrict him, but rather to transition him from his old patterns of living (stealing, hoarding food, wandering off alone) to a new mindset—the mindset of a son.

Today’s verse inaugurates a series of rules given by God to do exactly the same thing. The nation of Israel was birthed into slavery. They were spiritual orphans, with no prior knowledge of what it meant to live as children of God. So, after God redeems them and makes them His… He immediately begins to implement a set of very specific rules. The purpose of these rules? To help God’s children transition from their old patterns of living, to a new mindset—the mindset of sons/daughters of God.

Are you living in the mindset of a son/daughter of God? Perhaps there are specific patterns in your life, right now, that God wants to adjust. Let’s spend some time today reflecting on this.

Prayer: Father, we want to live in the fullness of the identity You have given us. Help us to identify the areas where we are still acting like spiritual orphans. Help us to surrender these areas to You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:5-11: And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, what does discipline from God imply?
Why does God discipline us? What is the purpose?
How does the author of Hebrews exhort us to respond to God’s discipline?

Notes

This passage states several times that discipline from God is a feature of being His child. It implies that God loves us, and that He has our good in mind.
Verse 10 says that God disciplines us because: (1) it is good for us; and (2) through discipline we can share in his holiness. In other words, the purpose of God’s discipline is so that we might develop Christ-like character within ourselves.
The author of Hebrews exhorts us to take God’s discipline seriously and not to be wearied by it. Although being disciplined by God may not feel good in the moment, when we understand His purpose we can receive His discipline with joy.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time reflecting on the type of person you were before you met Jesus. What has changed since then? What has not changed since then? Are there areas that ought to have changed, but haven’t? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas to you as you reflect.

April 14, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Comparison Hinders Love”

Genesis 26:12-16

Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. 14 He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him. 15 So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.16 Then Abimelek said to Isaac, “Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us.”

Once, when I was in elementary school, my mother bought me a very fancy mechanical pencil. When I took this pencil to school, I showed it off to everyone. However, in the afternoon, I discovered that my mechanical pencil was missing. I started to look for it everywhere until I found it broken in the garbage can. It took me a long time to learn that my classmate broke it. I couldn’t understand why he would do such a thing but later realized that he envied me.

In today’s passage, we see the same jealousy in the Philistines’ attitude towards Isaac. They first accepted Isaac’s arrival, but when Isaac became rich through God’s blessing, the Philistines began to envy him. Their jealousy did not only concern Isaac since these Philistines felt the same jealousy toward Isaac’s father Abraham when he resided in their land and enjoyed God’s favors. So they seized Isaac’s water and tried to force him out of the land.

In everyday life, we can often experience jealousy prompted by things such as: other people’s promotions and higher salaries, other people’s seemingly nicer families, and even spirituality of other believers. One outcome of jealousy is depriving us of our love for each other; that is, it devours our ability to love others. How so? Jealousy makes us compare ourselves to others, and we cannot celebrate what others have achieved.

Often when we are jealous of others, we protect ourselves by belittling them, hindering their achievements, or surpassing them. God hates jealousy because it prevents us from fulfilling the second greatest commandment: to love one another. We need to understand that everyone is unique and loved by God. We don’t need to be jealous of other people’s strengths, because God gives us His unique gift.

This morning, let’s spend some time praying, asking God to examine our hearts. Is there jealousy brewing in your heart? If so, take a moment to repent and invite the Lord to help you see people with His perspective.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask You to examine my heart. I know there are many people and things that I envy in my life. Jealousy deprives me of the ability to love others, and it keeps me from seeing Your grace in me. Lord, I repent before You, and ask You to remove the jealousy from my heart and give me the power of love. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 13

April 13, Saturday

Today’s devotional is provided by a brother who serves at an AMI church in East Asia. Thank you.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Fighting Giants in Our Lives”

1 Samuel 17:42-47

He (the Philistine) looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord ’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

“Blessed Assurance,” written by Fanny Crosby, is a powerful hymn that has inspired so many generations. Crosby, who lost her sight at a young age, declared a victorious future which can only be seen through the faith-anointed eyes: “Visions of rapture now burst on my sight.” In darkness, her hope in the Lord, flashing out through the lyrics, formed into a melody of faith. In fact, her life story became a powerful worship dedicated to God.

1 Samuel 17 describes David’s most well-known battle, fighting against Goliath the giant. Looking down at this young little boy, the giant mocked and threatened him. Yet, with no sword in his hand, David fearlessly declared, “The battle is the Lord’s, and He will give all of you into our hands!” David chose to proclaim the victory of God despite how powerful the giant appeared. On that battlefield, he offered his worship to the lord. We can find similar convictions in the book of Psalms. No wonder, David is known as “a man after [God’s] own heart (Acts 13:22)

We all have our own giants to fight against. These giants may manifest as a woman’s inability to have children, an infirmed person’s fight against an incurable disease, or being persecuted for faith in God—the list can go on. When the giant is mocking our identity and threatening our well-being, we all face a choice: “Should I continue to believe that God is good and victorious? Should I continue to bring Him praise?” Both David and Crosby chose to trust God; they chose to declare into their situations that God has won. That is the worship we want to offer to God.

But some might wonder, “What if I am too weak to trust?” Yes, the battle is brutal and frightening, but the good news is that God has put a triumphant song in every one of us, “Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus declared “it is finished” in front of the greatest giant—death. He rose again three days later to show the world that death has been defeated. For this reason, we have the strength to experience God’s victory in our own situations!

Prayer: Dear God, we praise You not because You have delivered us from all of our difficulties. We praise You because You ARE the victory. During the tough seasons of our lives, may we learn to declare Your victory into our situations; may our faith grow deeper as we seek you daily for the strength to face the day; may Your victory and goodness become our hope that one day we will experience breakthrough. May all these (our stories and our lives) become our worship to you. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 11-12

April 12, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Fear the Lord”

Exodus 20:18-20

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid[d] and trembled, and they stood far off 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21 The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

When I was younger, my mom disciplined my siblings and me whenever we misbehaved. Like many Asian parents, the means of her discipline ranged from clothe hangers to rolling pins. I remember vividly our mom telling us to kneel on the kitchen floor to receive our punishment. Because we feared these punishments, my siblings and I eventually learned to obey.

In this passage, as the Israelites were listening to the Lord giving them the Ten Commandments, they witnessed a trembling sight on the mountain. They heard thunder and the sound of trumpets; they saw flashes of lighting blazing across the mountain; in fact, there was smoke on the top of mountain. Understandably, they became so fearful at this sight that they no longer wanted to directly hear the voice of the Lord. Rather, they wanted the Lord to speak only to Moses and then have Moses speak to them. However, in verse 20, Moses reassures them that their fear was positive and healthy because it will keep them from sinning.

In our society, fear has become an entirely negative word. There are so many social media posts that encourage people to overcome their fear of failure. Even in our faith, we often quote verses such as 1 John 4:18 (“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear”) or Joshua 1:9 (“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”). These verses are spoken over people to encourage them. Certainly, it is important to be free from fear; nevertheless, Moses is reminding us that not all fear is unhealthy. In fact, Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” This fear was meant to keep the Israelites from walking away from their destiny to be God’s instrument to bless other nations. It is not simply about behaving correctly, but being concerned with what God desires rather than what we desire.

This morning, reflect on this question, “Do you fear the Lord?” Like the Israelites, God desires us to be a blessing to others. However, the first step of becoming that blessing is to fear the Lord.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You are a God who loves us. However, because of culture and preference, I have forgotten to fear You. Please instill this healthy fear, so that I can walk in wisdom and become a blessing to those around me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 5:1-11: Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Questions to Consider

What sin did Ananias and Sapphira commit?
What was the purpose of Peter asking Sapphira a second time concerning the property?
What was the result of the death of Ananias and Sapphira?

Notes

Ananias and Sapphira sold their land in order to give the proceeds to the church. However, after Satan entered their heart, they decided to withhold some of the money. They thought they could get recognition from the church for being generous while keeping some of the money for themselves.
Peter asked Sapphira a second time because the Lord had mercy upon Sapphira. He did not want Sapphira to suffer the same fate as her husband.
When the church saw and heard what happened to Ananias and Sapphira, it instilled a great fear in the whole church. They knew that God desired holiness, and that their sin had consequences.

Evening Reflection

As you reflect on this morning’s passage, what are some reasons why we have become desensitized to the fear of the Lord? How do you feel this has affected you or the church?

April 11, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“I am a Jealous God”

Exodus 20:4-6

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

In Chinese, “jealousy” is a word that has different degrees of intensity, and each one is described by a different physiological effect. For example, a normal jealousy is described as “吃醋了 chi1 cu4 le,” which means to eat vinegar. However, a more intense jealousy is described as “妒火 du4 huo3,” which means jealousy that burns like fire.

In this passage, we see the Israelites who are set from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. After they encamp near Mount Sinai, the Lord makes a covenant with the Israelites by giving them the Ten Commandments. One way to honor this covenant is for the Israelites to not create an image of anything and then worship it. To warn them about violating the covenant, the Lord describes Himself as a jealous God. His jealousy is so intense that if anyone violates His law, He will not only punish the violators but their future generations as well. Yet, He assures the Israelites that if they obey His covenant, He will bless them for thousands of generations.

Why does God associate Himself with emotion of jealous? Elsewhere, particularly in Isaiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel, God compares His relationship with Israel to a relationship between husband and wife. Of course, in context of a relationship, jealousy has a negative connotation; but it also reveals a person’s deep love and passion for the other. God’s love for Israel runs so deep that any violation of His love causes Him to react fiercely.

Through the story of the cross, we are able to witness God’s deep love and passion for us. We live in a world that is destined for death, yet God initiated a rescue plan for us. In His great love and mercy, He sacrificed His beloved Son so that we could be rescued from death!

This morning, take a moment to play a CD or an instrument, and spend time in His presence. Invite the Holy Spirit to remind you of God’s deep love for us.

Prayer: Thank you Father that, even in the Old Testament, You remind us of Your deep love for us. We are prone to forget you, and we turn to other gods to satisfy ourselves. As the church, we are Your bride, and You desire a faithful love from us. Thank You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 9

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 4:7-16: Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

Questions to Consider

How does John define love in this passage? (v. 8-10)
Why does John encourage us to love one another?
What are three ways that we know that we are in God and God is in us?

Notes

John defines love in two ways. First, he defines love as the person of Jesus. Second, he defines love through God’s love for us. God loved us and he sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for all of humanity.
John encourages us to love one another because God first loved us.
First, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Second, when we testify that the Father has sent His Son. Third, when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God.

Evening Reflection

This evening, spend a moment to reflect on if there are any other gods in your life that are stealing your affection. It could be comfort, children, work, marriage, or even ministry. As these idols are being revealed, spend some time in repentance.

April 10, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“No Other gods Before Me”

Exodus 20:1-6

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Recently, a pastor and I were discussing the family dynamics of Chinese households in China. Because many families only have one child, these children are doted upon, not only by parents, but also grandparents. Parents spend most of their time and energy working to financially provide for their children. Grandparents, who are retired, spend much of their time taking their grandchildren to and from extra-curricular activities.

While this may seem like an ideal situation, this puts tremendous pressure on these children. Why? Parents and grandparents pour all of their time and resources into their children, so that their children may grow up to become successful, and, in return, take care of them. Thus, a big struggle for parents in Chinese churches is that they begin to idolize their children.

In this passage, after the Israelites have encamped next to Mount Sinai, Moses meets with the Lord. The Lord then directs him to tell the Israelites that if they keep the covenant, then, they would become the most treasured possession among all peoples. Once the Israelites agree to follow the Lord, the Lord commands them to consecrate themselves because He is going to speak to Moses for the Israelites to hear. Quickly He imparts the Ten Commandments for the Israelites to obey, the first of which is, “You shall have no other gods before me” (v. 3).

Upon hearing the phrase, “Other gods,” we often think of physical idols found in temples. While these are certainly other gods, many of us are not tempted to bow down before them. Yet, many of us still struggle with this first commandment. How so? The gods with which we struggle in the 21st century are not made of stone, gold, or silver; rather, these so-called gods are seemingly good things discreetly integrated into our daily lives. Like the example about Chinese families, our gods are anything that we think can save or satisfy us apart from God. These gods can come in the form of our children, social media, finances, degrees, etc. The scary thing is that we do not even realize these things have become our gods.

God puts this verse as the first commandment because He wants to make it very clear—not that He is an egocentric God—that our lives must be God-centered. Our God is the only person who can truly save and satisfy us; turning to anything else will only hurt us in the end.

This morning, invite the Holy Spirit into your heart to make you aware of anything that might be a god in your life. Is there anything in your life that you have become dependent or has become your mode of satisfaction? If there is, ask the Lord for forgiveness and to help you become more God-centered.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for saving us through your son, Jesus Christ. Lord, You call us to live God-centered lives because only You can truly save and satisfy us. You do not want us to live under the lie that these other gods can do the same. If there is anything in my life that has taken your place, please help me turn back to You. In your name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:19-24: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “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

Why does Jesus teach us not to store up treasures here on earth?
What does the metaphor in verses 22-23 mean?
Why is it impossible to serve two masters?

Notes

Jesus teaches us not to store up treasures here on earth because these earthly treasures are temporary and will decay. Even in the digital world, cyberspace is not safe from “viruses,” power outages, and the disappearance of backups.
In this passage, the eyes represent the heart. Therefore, if the heart is healthy, then the whole body would be full of light. However, if the heart is unhealthy, then the whole body would be full of darkness.
It is impossible to serve two masters because our heart’s affection cannot be divided. Our hearts will naturally love one and reject the other. Therefore, we must give our Lord an undivided heart.

Evening Reflection

This morning, we invited the Holy Spirit to help us become aware of some idols in your life. This evening, take some time to reflect why these “things or persons” have become idols? What are some ways that you can protect your heart?