April 25, Thursday

Today’s devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on May 1, 2014.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Who Am I?”

Titus 1:1-3

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness . . . and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,”

Today, when we communicate with one another, there are a myriad of ways we can choose to identify ourselves. On Facebook, email or instant messaging programs, we have the profile picture or a status line where we have the option to sum up our life’s philosophy in 50 characters or less. Our choices can tell others a lot about our personalities, what we value in life. Is the photo a family shot? Comical? A scene of outdoor adventure? Taken with a loved one?

In the not-so-distant past, we knew who a letter was from by the return address on the envelope. Or we could tell who a call was from, not by caller ID but because we were familiar with the voices of our close friends and family and could recognize their “Hello.”

Every time Paul began one of his letters, he had to identify himself, as was standard procedure at that time. And he would often begin in the same way: “Paul, a servant… an apostle… to preach the gospel…” Out of all the people in the Bible, he is one of the ones with the strongest sense of self, purpose and calling. He identified himself as a servant, one who lived to obey his master’s commands. He saw himself as an apostle, someone sent out for a purpose, on a mission. And he knew clearly what that mission was: to take the gospel beyond the Jewish world and preach it to people of all nations – something that no one had ever really thought seriously about doing before.

In some ways, all believers are like Paul in having a calling upon our lives that is 1) related to the gospel, and 2) uniquely ours. Some of us are still on the path of discovering what this may be; others may have had it at one point but lost sight of it somewhere along the way. This morning, we admire and are encouraged by Paul’s strong sense of identity and calling. Seeing that it was possible for him, we can ask the Lord for the same.

Prayer: Lord, I want to have a stronger sense of who I am as a Christian, how I am called to live this life. Would you help me to be more like Paul, knowing how my life fits in to your greater gospel plan? Help me to see throughout this day what I can do that is related to this higher purpose. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Titus 1:1-3: “Paul, a servant of God . . . by the command of God our Savior.”

Exodus 21:2, 5-6: “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything . . . But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.”

Questions to Consider

Paul’s sense of calling was closely linked to his identifying himself as a servant of God. What do you think it means to be a servant? What idea of servanthood do you think Paul had?
Why did the servant choose to stay a servant rather than go free when he had the choice?
What kind of commitment is it to be another person’s servant for life? Do you think you could make such a commitment? What would it take?

Notes

To be a servant is to be someone who carries out another person’s commands. Paul saw his calling as a command from God to be obeyed. Seeing ourselves as servants, our sense of calling can become more clear. Have we gotten to that place or are we still wanting to call the shots in our lives?
Because he loved his master. He must have received good treatment and found it better to be under the master’s orders than to make his own choices. His master had won his heart
For life . . . that is a long time. If our idea of being a servant is just always having to give up what we want to do and being forced to do things we don’t want to do, it would be difficult, no – impossible. It could only be possible if we keep experiencing the love and goodness of the Master.

Evening Reflection

What did I do today that was related to God’s gospel purpose? Did I try to have the attitude of a servant of God today, living the day trying to obey him rather than going my own way? As I did, did he reveal or confirm anything today about what he may be calling me to do with my life?

April 24, Wednesday

Today’s AMI Devotional Quiet Time is provided by Joshua Chzen who serve at Kairos Christian Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Playing Favorites”

James 2:1-4

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

When I was serving as an intern in E. Asia after college, I was asked to meet up with some brothers at the church and spend time with them. There were these two guys (“Matt” and “Luke”) who were always together—

they were the same height, around the same age, and worked together as coworkers doing similar jobs—so I lumped them together in my mind. However, their differences quickly became apparent as I got to know them. Matt had been at the church for a few years and had gotten very plugged in. He helped lead worship, had a very passionate personality, and seemed to just mesh well with what I thought a good leader should be in a church.

Whereas Matt was warm in personality and demeanor, his friend Luke was noticeably cooler in the way he processed and communicated. So, without much thought, I dismissed him as a typical intellectual, analytical East Asian guy, and started spending more time with Matt in whom I saw potential. Not long after that, the church went through some transition. Matt left, while Luke stayed. Today, Luke serves as one of the staff members at that church—certainly not what I was expecting when I first met him. Looking back, I’m struck at how quick and easy it was for me to play favorites, and how badly I was proven wrong.

In his letter to the scattered believers, James warns them against this sin of favoritism and partiality. For these people who were forced to start over in new towns and cities, it would have been common sense for them to focus their attention on people who had means, resources, and connections. In a society where upward mobility was already uncommon, James’ audience would have simply been trying to get their best shot at making a living. However, James calls out this behavior as discrimination and judgment, rooted in evil thoughts and ungodly standards.

In today’s context, we may not be so quick to discriminate based on someone’s wealth. But our partiality might show up in other areas, such as cultural background (do we perceive entire groups as being “rude”?), life stage (are people dismissed as immature or out of touch based on their age relative to yours?), politics, personality, academic/career experience, etc. We can end up having all sorts of standards to judge people worthy or unworthy of our time, resources, and efforts; but God has chosen to provide redemption, freedom, and grace to all of us who are unworthy by His ultimate standard.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the mercies You have shown me. I know I’m ultimately unworthy to know You and be known by You, but it’s because of Your grace and mercy that I meet your standard of righteousness. Help me to live in Your grace, so that I can live it out to others.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 7:1-2, 15-20 (NIV): “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Questions to Consider

What does Jesus say about judgment in verses 1-2?
What does Jesus say about judgment in verses 15-20?
How do we reconcile these two statements?

Notes

Jesus warns against judgment, and says that the standard we use to judge others will be used to judge us.
People are to be recognized and judged as false prophets by the outward fruit that they bear; bad trees bear bad fruit.
In order to assess the fruit of one’s life, there needs to be some form of examination and judgment. However, in that process we are to remember the love, grace, and forgiveness extended to us by God, and bring that same heart into our own judgment.

Evening Reflection:

Who are the people we tend to favor at school, at work, at home, etc.? Who are the people around us we tend to dismiss? Ask the Holy Spirit to bring people to mind – who are you thinking about? Spend some time asking God for a heart of love, humility, and grace toward them.

April 23, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Losing the Battle, Win the War”

2 Corinthians 2:14

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.”

As someone who grew up playing sports all her life, I have naturally taken on quite the competitive spirit. And for all those who, like me, are competitive, we share one thing in common: We hate losing! Losing cuts our pride, ruins our days, and often leads us to fixate on what we could have done differently. Simply put, losing never feels good. The apostle Paul, on the other hand, had a completely different perspective about losing. To him, losing meant that the victor, Jesus Christ, would have all the honor and glory.

In this verse, Paul talks about being a captive in Christ’s triumphal procession. In those times, Roman generals would have these triumphal processions (a.k.a. parades), to celebrate the victory over their enemies. Typically, a Roman general would lead his troops along with their captives (prisoners of war) in a triumphant march through the crowd as they honored the general that led them through the battle. The captives would ultimately be led to their deaths as a sign of complete and utter defeat. Paul, in his humility considered himself, a captive, a slave to Christ, knowing that in the presence of the Messiah King, all he could do was to surrender and give all the glory and honor to the one who deserves it most.

Part of the reason many of us hate losing is because WE want the glory. We want to celebrate that we are amazing, that we conquerors, that we have the power and control to reign over our lives. But the apostle Paul reminds us to take that stance of humility. It is not us who are amazing, awesome, and wonderful; it is the victor, Christ Himself. Only He alone deserves that glory and honor. So, with that reminder, we gladly bow down and lose the battle to Him, surrendering ourselves as captives of Christ, so that through Him and Him alone may we win the war!

Prayer: Lord, forgive me that I often look to glorify myself and my own accomplishments. I pray that You will keep me humble in all that I do and remind me every day who is King. Thank You, Jesus, for being our general and leading us to victory! May my life reflect Christ in me, daily giving You all the praise, glory and honor!

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 7

Lunch Break Study

Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-13: What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

Questions to Consider

Prior to this passage, the Preacher writes a list of vanities of life. What’s his point? Or in the words of the author, “What do workers gain from their toil?”
What does the author mean when he says, He has “set eternity in the human heart?”
What posture are we to take in light of all that God has given to us?

Notes

Both the good things and the bad things in this life are a blessing from the Lord. They are beautiful in its time. But to pursue these things alone is meaningless. The Preacher helps us to fix our eyes on what is eternal and lasting, not what is temporary.
Because the vanities of life do not give us true fulfilment, it eventually leads us to despair and there’s a deep longing within us for something more. We are made for the eternal, so that void can only be satisfied through Christ alone, who gives us eternal life. He has placed that in our hearts, but we also lack the understanding and wisdom to fully comprehend the magnitude of all that He’s done.
God does it so that people will fear him.

Evening Reflection

Who is King in your life? As we consider our lives, even in the smallest of things, have we sought to glorify our own name or are we persistent to give all the glory to the one and true King? Are we chasing the things that are temporary or the things that are eternal?

April 22, Monday

We mourn the passing of our dear colleague and friend Dr. Johann Kim who went to be with the Lord this past Saturday while serving the Lord in Greece. While we miss him dearly already, we will continue the work of the Lord that he so faithfully carried out all his life. We love you Pastor Johann. We will see you soon in the presence of our Lord—Ryun Chang from Greece.

Today’s AMI Devotional is written by Esther Chailim who serves at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Corinthians 2:14:15

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

One of the traditions of the triumphal procession was to burn spices, spreading the aroma of victory into the streets for all the crowd to know. In the same light, I think Paul was alluding to the fact that we as believers were captured by the grace of God so that we can be a fragrance of Christ to all those we encounter.

If there is one couple I can confidently say who exemplifies being used to spread the aroma of Christ everywhere they go, it is Pastor Johann and Sister Grace. They have immensely impacted the lives of so many they come across, including mine. To many, they are spiritual parents, mentors, co-laborers, and dear friends. I had the great privilege and honor to serve alongside them in 2012 for a 1-year internship, where I got to witness, first hand, their love for the Lord and their relentless pursuit to make Christ known wherever they went. Of course, not everything was picture perfect as they struggled through moments of discouragement and unsuccessful attempts, but never once did they give up hope in our Lord or cease in worship. And it’s evident that through their ministry, so many lives were touched by the Spirit of God. The aroma they left behind always pointed back to Christ, our Savior

Last Monday I received the devastating news that Pastor Johann was in the ER in critical condition from bleeding in his brain. He and Sister Grace had been in Athens, Greece for about a month, in obedience, spreading the good news of Christ to the many refugees there. Upon their arrival, they faced much attack from the enemy, even losing their laptops (with all his teaching material) from a team robbery, prior to a 3-day intensive teaching seminar. But in faith, he persisted to teach and minister out of the work of the Holy Spirit. And by the grace of God, Sister Grace informed me that “he finished well.” We see that, still, in the face of much spiritual attack, the aroma that he and Sister Grace leave behind continues to point back to Christ, our Savior, worshiping Him through and through. I was reminded of this, once again their spiritual daughter, Christine Yun, updated us about the state of Pastor Johann’s condition. She shared this after meeting some of the refugees Pastor Johann and Sister Grace had been ministering to, “They said Pastor Johann and Sister Grace changed their life and I absolutely believe this — as they carry the Spirit of our Living God everywhere we go. This brings a lot of comfort to us…and if we weren’t certain already, God is so glorified through their obedience and love for Him and can see how they have deeply touched lives of the people here.” Her words could not describe their love for Jesus more perfectly.

This morning, I learned that Pastor Johann went to be with the Lord. Though I grieve over the loss of my pastor, spiritual father, and friend, I am comforted knowing that he is dancing and worshiping side by side with our Heavenly Father. It is without a doubt that every waking moment of Pastor Johann’s life was fully, and whole-heartedly devoted to our Lord, Jesus Christ. His faith is unlike anyone’s I have ever met and it is clear that many have smelled the sweet fragrance of Christ throughout his ministry. I believe he and the apostle Paul share that same passion and zeal for the Lord in spreading the aroma of the knowledge of Christ everywhere they went. All glory, honor and praise to our Lord, Jesus Christ

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for the life and ministry of Pastor Johann and Sister Grace. I am so honored to know such people of faith and I know that You, Lord, are so pleased with them. As their lives continue to spread the aroma of Christ knowledge to all, I pray that we too, as believers, can do the same.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 6

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 4:7-11: The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Questions to Consider

What does Peter mean by “the end of all things is near?”
How does love cover sins?
How do we spread the aroma of Christ to others?

Notes

In light of Christ’s return, Peter was encouraging the church to live godly lives. Because we do not know the time and date of His return, he exhorts us to be alert and of sober mind, so that we can pray. And as we wait for His return, this ought to influence our attitude, actions and relationships with others.
Just as God’s love deals with our sins through his forgiveness, Peter encourages us to choose love and forgiveness when we are dealing with relationships. When we enter a relationship with love, we are much more willing to overlook that person’s faults. When we’re sinned against, love overrides our reflex for revenge.”
We should love each other deeply, offering hospitality and using our gifts to serve others. God uses us as humans to be instruments in delivering His word, so we are encouraged to speak, with reverence, the words of God by preaching, teaching or simply talking with others about His goodness and faithfulness.

Evening Reflection

Take some time to reflect on your own life. Do others smell the scent of Christ in you? Can they see that you live for the Lord or do they simply know that you go to church? Our time on earth is limited, so I want to encourage us to be like our brothers in Christ, the apostle Paul and Pastor Johann, and continually spread the aroma of Christ everywhere we go. Let’s be intentional in the conversations to make Christ known.

April 21, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Value of Friendship for Salvation”

Acts 13:1

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Manaen. His name is only mentioned once (right here) in Scripture. But there is something interesting about Manaen: he was “a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch.” Other translations read, “brought up with Herod the tetrarch.” This is the very same Herod who beheaded John the Baptist, and later handed Jesus over to Pilate to be crucified. While Herod and Manaen grew up together, they chose very different paths. Herod heard the message of the gospel numerous times, having personal encounters with both John the Baptist and Jesus; yet at every turn, he rejected the word of God. Meanwhile, his friend became a prophet/teacher in the church at Antioch. Yet despite their differences, Manaen and Herod were “lifelong friends.”

There are at least two things we can learn from this short passage. The first is that salvation depends on our response to the gospel. The second is that friendship does not.

I have to admit that I’m guilty of severing more than a few friendships based on their lack of response to the gospel. Instead, I tend to draw ever nearer to those whom I deem spiritually mature. There’s a constant temptation we face to place value on people based on their spirituality. What many of us can learn from Manaen and Jesus is that while salvation requires faith, having faith (or lack thereof) is not grounds for exclusion. The real issue is how we can befriend the “Herods” of our lives without compromising our commitment to Christ. Today, let’s pray for the humility to live this way.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be salt and light in this world. Teach me to see people the way You see them. Holy Spirit, grant me the humility to love my friends and family as I love myself. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Cor. 5

April 20, Saturday

Spiritual Food for Thoughts For the Weekend

“When We Really Pray with our Back Against the Wall”

Esther 9:1

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.

In 2010, I was on a short-term mission trip to Northeast China. Traveling to different villages, we preached and taught many pastors who had gathered from surrounding villages. It was during one of these secret gatherings that the police barged in. Four policemen kicked the door open and immediately arrested my pastor and his translator. Within moments, he was put into the police car and driven to the police station, hours away. I began to panic.

We did the only thing we could do: pray. For hours and hours, we kept asking God to do something. When we finally got in touch with the translator who called us from police station, it was not good news. Our pastor was in jail, awaiting his sentence, which was expected to be one or more of the following: a massive fine, jail-time and being added to the “blacklist” of China. The verdict would happen the next morning.

I fell asleep, but I woke up early to the sound of the Chinese locals praying; they had stayed up all night, interceding for my pastor. Soon, a car pulled up and my pastor stepped out with a huge grin on his face. “What happened?” we asked. While the chief of police was explaining all the punishments that could be inflicted upon my pastor, for some reason, his heart softened. Instead of my pastor being punished, the reverse occurred: my pastor shared the Gospel with the police chief, and he agreed not only to release him, but to begin attending church, to learn more about God!

As today’s text says, sometimes God allows “the reverse” to occur to rescue His people, thereby bringing further glory unto Himself. When the Israelites were trembling before the Philistine army, He used a shepherd boy to bring down Goliath. When Jesus was being nailed to the cross, and it seemed all hope was lost, God was actually unfolding his plan for the salvation of man. Today, let us strive to put our faith in our God, especially in the midst of trials, hardship and brokenness. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Prayer: Lord, we rejoice even in our sufferings, not because they are fun, but because we know and believe that you are a God who works even with suffering to produce good. Open our eyes today to your faithfulness that is revealed in today’s passage, and all throughout Scripture. Increase our faith as we read and meditate. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Cor. 3-4

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.