July 17, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on February 18, 2018, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves as the lead pastor of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan. He holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Generosity”

Genesis 45:16-20

When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. 17 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers, ‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, 18 and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ 19 And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. 20 Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

My parents came to the United States as refugees who fled from Vietnam. They, along with my sister who was a toddler at the time, immigrated with no money or possessions, and no knowledge of the culture or English. You would think that they had little chance of surviving or that they were doomed to live a life of poverty, but what they experienced was far from that. They were sponsored by a local church that gave so freely and generously to my family. This church helped my parents find housing, taught them English and how to drive, and helped find jobs and even childcare. My parents were incredibly blessed and so thankful for the lavish generosity and favor shown them by strangers.

I couldn’t help but think of my own family’s story when I saw this passage in Genesis. When Pharaoh finds out that Joseph’s brothers were in Egypt and that the whole family would be coming to Egypt, he welcomes them with more than just open arms. Pharaoh not only offers to provide transportation to Canaan and back, but he also tells them that the best of all of Egypt would be theirs. He goes so far as to say, “Have no concern for your goods”—basically telling them that they didn’t even need their possessions because Pharaoh was going to provide them not just a home, but a fully furnished home with all of the amenities they could ever want. Joseph’s family was shown lavish generosity and the full favor of Pharaoh.

The generosity shown to Joseph’s family was not by accident, but it was because of God’s covenant and promise to Abraham that his family and descendants would be blessed. This was not just Pharaoh’s favor that they were receiving, but it was God’s covenantal favor and love that was working to show this family that God was with them.

As children of God, we also have God’s favor and love in our lives, and we have the promise of God’s presence working in our lives always. When I think about my family’s story, I know it was God’s hand working, not just so that we wouldn’t be in poverty, but to show us His lavish love and draw me and my family into a relationship with Him. Think about your own story or your family’s story. How have you seen God’s favor at work in the past and in the present as well? Spend some time reflecting on our lavish and generous God who has been at work in all of our lives.

Prayer: Jesus, I thank You for Your presence and favor in my life. You have been so faithful and generous to me. I pray that I will never forget that You are with me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hebrews 3

Lunch Bible Study

Read Luke 19:1-10: He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Questions to Consider

What did the crowds think of Zacchaeus when they saw him?
What led Zacchaeus to suddenly be so generous?
How should our hearts be moved to be generous like Zacchaeus?

Notes

The crowds looked down on Zacchaeus, literally and figuratively. Luke tells us that he was small in stature so he was not likely an impressive man to anyone. But more importantly, Zacchaeus was a tax collector, a profession that was equated with sin because tax collectors had a reputation of being unscrupulous, swindling people of their money, and lining their own pockets with dirty money.
Zacchaeus unexpectedly experiences the favor of Jesus. Zacchaeus seemed to be desperate to see Jesus—he climbed a tree just to catch a glimpse and this drew the attention of Jesus. Jesus generously honors him by going and staying in Zacchaeus’ house, which must have been an extraordinary blessing for him because he was likely shunned by most of the community. Experiencing this favor from Jesus leads Zacchaeus to repent and decide to be generous with his great wealth.
We need to recognize the lavish love and favor of Jesus in our lives, just like Zacchaeus. When we understand the amazing grace we have received, it should move us to give generously to others as well.

Evening Reflection

As you’ve spent time reflecting on God’s favor and generosity in your life, how does it make you feel? When I remember the story of God’s work in my family, it fills me with a deep sense of joy and thanksgiving, knowing the personal and intimate love of Jesus. It doesn’t end there though. Remembering God’s favor in my life leads me to consider how I can be used by God to show His love. Reflect on that same love for you and ask God to use you to be an agent of His love as well.

July 16, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on February 18, 2018, is provided by Esther Chailim. Esther, a graduate of University of California, San Diego (B.S.) and Talbot School of Theology (M.A.), is the Director of Ministries at Kairos Christian Church (San Diego).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Hope in the Promise of God”

Genesis 49:29-33 (NIV)

Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. 31 There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. 32 The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.

For many, the end of life often calls for deep reflection on the things most important to them. Some reflect on the great memories they’ve had, while others think about what they would have done differently. In a similar fashion, this final request from Jacob was of great importance to him. Of all the choice words he could have said in his very last moments, he chose to give final instructions on the burial of his body. It’s important to note that though Jacob had been residing in Egypt for 17 years and had quite a successful life there with his sons, he knew his future did not lie there. Rather, he desired to be buried alongside his forefathers in Canaan, because it was the place in which God made his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, promising the land to them and all their descendants (Genesis 28:13-14). In other words, life to Jacob was found in the Promised Land, where he knew he would be in the special presence of the Lord. To Jacob, Canaan was more than just his hometown; it marked a statement of future hope. Thus, the burial in Canaan with his forefathers revealed Jacob’s hope and faith that God’s covenant promise would eventually come to pass.

Jacob did not fear death because he knew where he belonged. He knew that death was not the end of it all, and he rested in that security of God’s promise to him. As the late Billy Graham said, “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” As believers, our hope is in Jesus Christ who paid the ransom for our sins, so that we might have freedom from sin and walk in the way of righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). Because of Christ alone, we have victory over sin and death itself. Therefore, we no longer fear death, but rest in the salvation and eternal glory of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the Cross and the hope I have in You. I want to live my life well so that when my time is up here on earth, You will say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hebrews 2

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18: But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. 13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak,14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Questions to Consider

What kind of life did Paul live for the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Where does Paul hold his confidence?
How can we keep the focus on eternal things?

Notes

Paul lived a life that was hard pressed, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. He was willing to die for Jesus because that meant that others might see LIFE in Jesus.
Paul’s life was not easy by any means, but he showed resilience in overcoming suffering because of the confidence and trust in the ultimate glorification of Jesus Christ. He knew that the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ would ultimately bring him salvation and thus never lost heart.
Paul encourages the Corinthian church to fix their eyes on what is unseen (the eternal things) and not on the things seen (temporal things). As Christians serving the kingdom of God, we can sometimes find ourselves caught in the web of the comparison game on worldly matters, struggling to fully devote ourselves to the Lord. But Paul reminds us that our sacrifice to the Lord is not only good, but grants us eternal glory that far outweighs these momentary troubles.

Evening Reflection

As you reflect on your life, spend some time honestly asking yourself these questions: Where do I put my hope and security in? Do I find myself chasing that “American Dream” and seeking security in my career, family, possessions and/or comfort? Or do I rest in the promises of God, knowing that my final resting place is not here on earth but in eternity with our Heavenly Father? Ask the Lord how you can adjust your life so that your hope rests in the eternal things.

July 15, Tuesday

REPOST Originally shared on May 18, 2018, today’s AMI QT Devotional—written by an anonymous contributor—continues to offer quiet insight and reflection.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Just the tip of the iceberg”

Jeremiah 1:9-16 (NIV)

Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. ¹⁰See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” ¹¹The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. ¹²The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” ¹³The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?” “I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.” ¹⁴The Lord said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. ¹⁵I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord. “Their kings will come and set up their thrones in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem; they will come against all her surrounding walls and against all the towns of Judah. ¹⁶I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.

Have you ever been so sure about something, only to discover later, there was more to learn or realize than what you thought was the whole truth? When something grabs my interest, I love reading and studying about it. Whatever it is, I want to know its ins and outs, its background and everything else there is to know about it. I’m a nerd, and I enjoy obsessive study. When I found Christianity, the same instincts kicked in to the nth degree. Now, ignoring my early theological, epistemological, or other scholarly four-syllable word mistakes, in my pride, I really thought my obsessive study habits put me on the path to truly knowing God. Oh, my naivety!

Conventional wisdom would dictate careful, steady study is the best way to learn about something. While this is true, applying this simple axiom to Christianity only gets you so far. A person could bury themselves in the Word, read systematic theology books monthly, and comb through Scripture to learn as much as there is to know about God, and still miss the greater point. Consider your best friend telling you about someone they think you’d love to date. Your friend could tell you about this person’s likes, dislikes and general character. Your friend could even support their claims about this person by pulling excerpts from their personal diary. You could even follow the person on their social media platforms, learning everything about their daily life. When all is said and done, you’ve learned everything there is to know about this person—and yet, your relationship with them has not progressed any further than when you had no idea that they existed. Why? Because you haven’t met them yet. This is how far my obsessive study skills had gotten me before trusted friends knocked some sense into me.

The reality is, the Christian life is not predicated on knowing about God, but rather, knowing God Himself. While there are worse ways to spend one’s time than studying His likes, dislikes and character, etc., time also ought to be spent alone with God, reaching out to Him in prayer. After an honest pursuit, I’ve come to learn that sometimes, God reaches back. When it comes to spiritual giftings or even stepping into certain roles, I admit—like Jeremiah—that I harbor much doubt. However, in Jeremiah 1, we see God reminding Jeremiah that He will accompany and rescue him. What’s more, we see God sending Jeremiah visions and interpreting them to let him know that He is trustworthy. Receiving images from God is a bit new for me. While I’m certain I’ve had other encounters with the Holy Spirit, seeing prophetic images is not something that comes easy. My prayer is that as my knowledge of God catches up to my knowledge about God, and our relationship builds, that I will learn to listen and wait for Him.

Prayer: Father, learning about You and meeting You are two, very different concepts. I have spent much time on the former, mistakenly thinking it would bring us closer. I now ask for Your help in working on the latter. Though I spend much time speaking to You, please help me to perceive and understand when You speak back. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hebrews 1

Lunch Break Study

Read John 3:1-10 (NIV): Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

Questions to consider

What is Nicodemus’ role as a Pharisee?
If Nicodemus is so knowledgeable, why can’t he understand what Jesus is saying to him?
So, why do you think God has given us His Word? Give a personal answer.

Notes

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus is a Jewish religious authority. From a young age, Nicodemus was trained to be a scholar of Judaism, giving him far superior knowledge of the Scriptures than that of any ordinary person. If anyone knew how to read and interpret Jewish religious writings, law or traditions, Nicodemus would be one of them.
Unfortunately, like his peers, Nicodemus had focused the vast majority of his studies on knowing the Scriptures and following the law as he understood them on the surface. It seems, as a whole, the Pharisees had focused on the what of the Scriptures, rather than the why, making it difficult for him to understand Jesus’ answers.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Like most past times, acquiring knowledge is not intrinsically a bad thing. The key is, however, to recognize the fine line that separates a healthy activity from an idolatrous one. Studying the Word, seeking its wisdom and learning about God are all good things, until they get in the way of your relationship with Him. Oftentimes, good things are the easiest objects to make into idols for ourselves. The remedy, it seems, is to meet with God in prayer and simply ask for more of Him, and for our desire of Him to increase as His presence does.

July 14, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time, originally posted on February 27, 2018, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Pride Goes Before Destruction”

Genesis 49:3-4

“Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, the first sign of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power. 4 Turbulent as the waters, you will no longer excel, for you went up onto your father’s bed, onto my couch and defiled it.”

If you’ve been watching the news lately, you have seen the downfall of Hollywood’s moguls, news anchormen, actors, etc. The victims in Hollywood are finally mustering up courage to tell their stories, leading to the permanent dismissal of men who have used their fame, popularity, and position to abuse women for many years. Many people are probably thinking, “It’s about time…”

While it’s easy to point fingers with disgust at the perpetrators, we must remember that this ugly human condition of sin touches all of us. And that sin is called “PRIDE.” We can take the recent events in Hollywood and ask ourselves, “How do we cultivate genuine humility that honors God and honors others?” James 4:6 says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. But how do we grow in humility?

Today’s passage reveals the consequences of pride before our God. According to Israel’s customs, Reuben, who was the firstborn of Jacob, should have belonged to the Lord. Reuben should have received pre-eminence among his brothers as the firstborn male. He should have received a double portion of blessings from his father, Jacob. However, none of those rights came to fruition.

That’s because some years ago, Reuben had defiled his father’s bed with incest. Gen. 35:22 records that Reuben slept with his father’s concubine, Bilhah. That act of incest cost Reuben his rights to his blessings. One pastor suggests that Reuben’s lust was not so much sexual as much as it was political. It was lust for power. He already held the position; however, he wanted more. He wanted to show that he alone possessed the right to rule over the family. In that pursuit of pre-eminence, Reuben lost his blessings. Before we find ourselves in Reuben’s shoes, we must figure out how to put on the virtue of humility.

One spiritual discipline that is critical for developing humility is prayer. Prayer as an activity can take on different purposes, such as intercession for others and petitioning requests. But at the heart of prayer is the acknowledgment of total and complete dependence on the Lord. A prayerless life signals a vulnerability toward pride and self-righteousness. I tell the leaders at our church, “If you try to accomplish ministry without a prayer life, there are only two outcomes: cynical burnout or self-righteousness.” Prayer reminds us of our lowly position where we receive God’s grace and favor.

Prayer: Lord, fill me with Your Spirit today. (Take a deep breath to pause.) Lord, fill me with Your Spirit who empowers, enables, encourages, and sustains me to get through today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 11:2: When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom; Proverbs 16:5: Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished; Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall; Proverbs 18:12: Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor;Proverbs 29:23: One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.

Questions to Consider

What is consistently the consequence of pride?
What is consistently the prize of humility?
How do you practically guard against pride in your own life?

Notes

In the Lord’s economy, pride does not go unpunished. Destruction follows patterns of pride.
The Lord provides wisdom and honor to those who put on humility.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Spend a little extra time tonight in prayer, cultivating a greater dependence on the Lord. Confess your need for Him in every area of your life.

July 13, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, which was first posted on June 24, 2018, is provided by a writer who wants to remain anonymous.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Our Real Job”

1 Peter 2:9-12

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

During orientation week of my last job, I was given the opportunity to take a work-personality test. Through the results of this test, I was able to better understand how I tend to work, collaborate with others, lead, follow, etc. It was informative. I appreciated how the test recognized the complexity of our personalities, but it also made think how differently we can think and behave in different departments of our lives. Depending on our position, seniority, comfort level, etc. it is not difficult to adjust to how we put ourselves forward and interact with others.

In our passage today, Peter speaks to believers who are living outside of Israel, in Pontus, Galatia, Asia, etc. (v.1). He tells them they are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation…” (v.9). Prior to this verse, he talks about how they are living stones, “being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” (v.5). What does this look like in their situation? Peter urges the believers to understand they are “sojourners and exiles” in their current environment and to “abstain from passions of the flesh,” or temptations they may see around them (v.11). Instead, he tells them to conduct themselves in a way that is honorable, so that their deeds speak for themselves and glorify the God they follow.

In different areas of our lives, we can play different roles. At church, perhaps you have been serving and even leading a ministry for a few years. But at your new workplace, you don’t know many people and are learning certain skills for the first time. Peter teaches us that wherever we are, whether it’s home or a foreign land, and whoever we are surrounded by—people similar to us or not—we are God’s priesthood. This means everything we do is an act of sacrifice and worship to God. Hence, let us work onto God and treat all people with dignity and honor.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for calling each and every one of us to be Your royal priesthood and holy nation. Help us to go into this new week, knowing that You have called us to worship You and honor others. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 8

July 12, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Though, first posted on April 21, 2018, is provided by Andy Kim who is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. Andy is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Greatest Commandment”

Mark 12:28-31

And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Today’s passage is a well-known story that most of us are familiar with, and it serves as a helpful reminder of what is central to our lives as Christians. Jesus is once again tested by the scribes and religious leaders about the Torah. They are desperate to ruin Jesus’ reputation among the Jewish community in order to put a halt to His ever growing movement. This time they ask Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” to which Jesus rightly answers, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” However, it is interesting that Jesus also tells them what is the second greatest commandment, which is to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The common thread to each commandment is love: love of God and love of neighbor.

It is important to recognize the order of these commandments. The first must be heeded before the second is made possible. As one commentator says, “Love of God is prior to love of neighbor and establishes its possibilities.” As much as we would like to think of ourselves as loving people, most of us are more self-centered than we’d like to think. We spend the majority of our time tending to our own needs and wants—only using the time and resources leftover for the sake of others. Simply put, we usually come first before anybody else. And it is difficult to find freedom from this posture of self-absorption.

What we desperately need is to be in a love relationship with God, learning how to love Him with all that we are and be loved in return. This relationship has the effect of healing our selfish tendencies and reorients us to live a life aligned to the kingdom value of other-centeredness. The more intimate we are with God, the more we are filled with love that can be shared with those around us. Without the first commandment, it is impossible to fulfill the second. For this reason, let us dive deeper into a love relationship with God!

Prayer: Father, help me to fulfill these two commandments. I am very selfish in many ways, often only thinking about myself. Free me from my self-centeredness and help me to love You and others well in my life. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 6-7

July 11, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 17, 2018, is provided by Pastor Barry Kang, the lead pastor of Symphony Church in Boston.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Plans Are For Our Good!”

Jeremiah 29:11-14

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Let’s review the circumstances of the Jewish exiles in Babylon:

Israel had been living in rebellion against God for centuries, ignoring prophet after prophet who urged them to turn back to the Lord.
Finally, God uses Babylon as a means of disciplining Israel. Babylon conquers Jerusalem and destroys the temple.
The elites of Jerusalem were uprooted and brought to live in Babylon by their captors.
Prophets in Jerusalem and Babylon begin to prophesy that God will bring the exiles back soon and they just need hold on for a little longer. But God, through Jeremiah, categorically denies that these prophets are from Him.
Instead, Jeremiah tells the exiles that God wants them to get used to living in Babylon (the enemy state) and even start caring for Babylon (again the enemy).
Instead of two years, it will be seventy years before they return. Many of the current exiles hearing this message will not be alive then.

It seems like it’s all bad news so far. The Jewish exiles were not wherethey wanted to be, they were not doing whatthey wanted to be doing, and the when of God’s plan didn’t match their timing. Then in verse 11, God tells His people that in all of this, He has a plan—a plan to prosper them, not to harm them, a plan to give them a future and a hope. His plan was in operation—not in spite of all the bad stuff, but even through the bad stuff. And this is true for us as well. God has a plan for us—a plan to prosper us, not to harm us. A plan for our future and to give us hope. Sometimes our circumstances may suggest otherwise to our limited perspectives, but the truth is always that God has a plan, and it is always for our ultimate good! God’s cosmic plan saw its peak in the death and resurrection of Jesus, which means that we don’t have to worry about our tomorrows, because Christ holds that tomorrow in His hands. Let us seek to submit our plans—all the when’s, where’s, and what’s—to Him today!

Prayer: Father, we thank you for Your love and plan to pour grace and truth into our lives. No matter our circumstances, help us to trust that Your hands are around us. I want to be surrendered to Your control, Your timing, and to Your will, knowing that Your ultimate goal is for our welfare. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:28-31: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Questions to Consider

For whom does Paul say “all things work together for good”?
What kind of “good” do you think Paul is talking about here?
What does passage tell us about the purpose to which we are called (vv. 29-30)?

Notes

Romans 8:28 tells us that the Holy Spirit (c.f. Romans 8:26-27) will work all things for good for “those who love God,” who are also “called according to his purposes.” This is not a general promise of ambiguous good for all people, but specifically for those who love God and live according to His will.
Again, the Bible does not promise general, subjective good for all people. The “good” here in context is our “ultimate good” or “true good”; it cannot mean anything we might see as good, such as pleasure or fame or fulfilled personal ambition. Rather, the “good” flows out of God’s good purposes.
Romans 8:29-30 tells us that God purposes us through His plan to become like Christ. We are also to become part of one family with Christ as the oldest brother. Finally, God’s purpose is that we would be justified (i.e. declared “not guilty”) and also glorified!

Evening Reflection

Part of trusting in God’s plans requires that we redefine what we consider to be “good.” Let us reflect upon what we desire (consider to be good) and compare it to what God considers good. Can we surrender and adopt new definitions of good if necessary? Journal your meditations.

July 10, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotionals, first posted on October 25, 2018, is provided by Pastor Paul Liu who pastors the Grace Covenant Church Singapore. He is a graduate of University of Illinois (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Point of Reference”

Jeremiah 48:1-5

Concerning Moab.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Woe to Nebo, for it is laid waste! Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; the fortress is put to shame and broken down; 2 the renown of Moab is no more.
In Heshbon they planned disaster against her: ‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’ You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence; the sword shall pursue you. 3 “A voice! A cry from Horonaim,
‘Desolation and great destruction!’ 4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have made a cry. 5 For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction.

One of the privileges of planting an AMI church in Asia is receiving one-year interns. We love our interns! But an inevitable rite of passage when you move half-way around the world is—getting lost. Our interns get lost all the time. One of our first interns got on a bus and ended up in another city—now, that’s lost! So it’s not unusual to find our interns holding their mobile devices to eye level and literally do a pirouette, trying to find their bearings using Google Maps. In a sense, they’re doing what travellers have done all throughout the ages, which is to use a compass to orient themselves to true north (or magnetic north if you want to be picky). Instead of relying on intuition or chance, we look to a more consistent and constant measure. We need this in life as well, which is why the most important voice you need to hear today is—the voice of the Lord your God. And not because He always flatters or pampers—He doesn’t—but we need His voice because He cannot but bring the light of His truth to bear on our hearts. In a world that deals in shade of grey, God’s voice is our True North.

In today’s text, we move from Israel’s Western neighbors, the Philistines, to their neighbors to the East, the Moabites. God gives them a warning that judgment would come upon them as well as the Philistines. There used to be a time when you would cry, “Woe is me!” if you were discouraged or overwhelmed. It’s a cry of self-pity because we usually think we deserve more or deserve better. And if we veer towards feelings of worthlessness, it’s still ME at the center. It’s not an easy cycle to break, and our perspective is often skewed, which is all the more reason why we need a surer reference point to gauge our life’s trajectory. God says to Moab, “Woe to you”—these are words of warning because the Moabites rejoiced in their own “renown.” They took great pleasure in the recognition of others but cared very little for God’s opinion of them. They valued what is fleeting and temporary over what is true and unchanging—to their tragic demise.

Let’s build our lives on the firm foundation of God’s truth rather than the opinion of man or the spin of a short-term deal. One will secure your life, the other will get you lost.

Prayer: Speak, O Lord. I want to hear. Help me to trust in Your wise leadership today rather than live out of neediness or insecurity. Guide me, Holy Spirit, to live a life that honors You! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. 7 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah 8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Questions to Consider

What characteristics about God are emphasized when the psalm writer uses the images of refuge, help, and fortress?
Notice that the context of the psalm writer’s confidence takes place in calamity and trouble. What kinds of trouble does the text hint at?
What lessons can we learn from the psalm writer about dealing with life’s troubles?

Notes

All of these images represent practical aid by means of God’s strength. In verse 1, God is described as a “refuge,” and the idea is associated with the word “strength.” Both a refuge and a fortress offer protection from harm and give confidence to those sheltering within. The psalm writer goes a step further by personalizing God’s help – He is “OUR refuge and strength” and His help is described as “present” rather than distant.
In vv.2-3, the psalm writer lists the sounds of natural disaster to describe the trouble circumstances stir in our hearts. We become anxious and worried, moved by a myriad of voices in our lives (the culture’s dream, the ideal look or figure, a demanding boss, a critical parent, deadlines or goals screaming out to us, etc). In addition, vv.6 and 9 mentions social and political unrest—yet more fuel for our worry or reasons for us to withdraw.
We can deal with our trouble by: (a) remembering the strength and concern of God; (b) listening for his powerful voice (v.6); and (c) learning to turn down the noise of our world so we might hear the voice of God (Be still).

Evening Reflection

Since we live in such a fast-paced world, let’s take a moment to be still. Turn off your phone; put your device to sleep; turn down the noise; and focus all of your attention on the reality that God is with you. He always is—we’re just not always aware of His presence. Try to be silent and reject every other thought. It’s not that it’s unimportant; rather, God is more important. Express to Him your need, and praise Him for He is “our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

July 9, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 31, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. David is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Love That Hates”

Luke 14:25-35

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. 34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

All of us are probably familiar with what we called the “terms and conditions” of a product or service—but we hardly ever read it closely. Think about it: when was the last time you actually read the terms and conditions before signing or clicking the OK button? In college, I had a friend who signed up for a car detailing service, unaware of the following terms and conditions: there was a discount price for the first three washes and details, but after that the price jumped up to almost double the cost. So after he got his car detailed the fourth time, he was shocked at the enormous bill! His failure to read and understand the terms cost him dearly.

In today’s passage, Jesus makes it clear that when we decide to follow Him, we have to be willing to follow on His terms and conditions. This passage is probably one of the harshest, but also the clearest, teachings on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. His main idea is this:

Salvation costs you nothing, but discipleship will cost you everything. Salvation occurs in a moment. Discipleship takes a lifetime. Salvation is something God did for us. Discipleship is something you do for God. It is not for the casual or consumer Christian who desire to follow God on his or her own terms.

The parable we see in today’s passage is about a tower and a king. Whenever someone builds a tower, a wise person assesses the expenses and cost. Jesus is addressing people who make decisions solely based on excitement and emotions, thus making hasty decisions to follow Him. Jesus is telling them to think about the commitment that is required; it’s not just about emotions and excitement but a lifetime of discipleship. The second picture is of a king who is outnumbered. Instead of just jumping into war, a wise king would assess the cost of war before entering into battle; and if he knew he could not win or complete the battle, he would surrender. The same goes for discipleship: we must access and count the cost before we are willing to follow.

Why would anyone follow Jesus like this? We need to remember this is an invitation that Jesus gives us to experience abundant life. It is out of His unconditional love and amazing grace that motivates us to follow Him. Let’s continue to follow Jesus on His terms, and may we be filled with joy as we do.

Prayer: Lord, we acknowledge that it is not easy to follow You, but I pray that You would give us the courage and strength to follow. Give us great joy as we count the cost daily. Amen!

Bible Reading: Ezra 3

Lunch Break Study

Read John 15:1-11: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Questions to Consider

What do you think it means when Jesus says that we are called to “abide in him”? Why is this so important?
What is the fruit Jesus is referring to and what is required to bear it?
What is the result of abiding in Christ, according to verse 11? Is this true in your life? Why or why not?

Notes

To abide in Him simply means to be in union with Christ. It’s having a constant and intimate relationship with Him so that we would grow into His likeness.
Bearing fruit means that we produce the character of Christ in our lives (see Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus says that this often requires pruning of our selfish nature and old ways, so that He can do the work that is required for transformation.
As we abide, we are promised joy to the fullest. As we walk in obedience, we are promised true joy that only comes from Him.

Evening Reflection

Spend time in prayer, asking the Lord specifically to have unconditional heart to follow and obey no matter the cost. Pray that your love for Christ would be the highest priority over any other love and as you do, ask for an increase of joy.

July 8, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted September 4, 2018, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun. Mark is now serving as a staff at Radiance Christian Church in S.F.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Obedience in Contemporary Western Christianity”

Jeremiah 35:8-16 (ESV)

We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed, 10 but we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Syrians.’ So we are living in Jerusalem.” 12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? declares the Lord. 14 The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. 15 I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. 16 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.

In contemporary western Christianity, obedience to God or our lack thereof is seldom addressed. Pastors and preachers make it seem like obedience is not required in a relationship with God, and they present God’s commands as a suggestion or something that only needs our consideration. The notion that we have to do something simply because God has commanded us to do those things seems archaic and legalistic. Everyone wants a reason to obey, but at the same time they reject the best reason for obedience—which is that God has commanded it.

The story of the Rechabites is given to us as an example of obedience to a father’s commands. As we read yesterday, the prophet Jeremiah purposely tested the faithfulness of these men by putting out wine in front of them, but in observance of their father’s wishes, the Rechabites politely refused the offer. Their loyalty and obedience to an ancestor who has been dead for over 200 years stands in stark contrast to the lack of loyalty of the Jewish people towards the living God. Even though the commands of Jonadab, their father, seem obscure, irrelevant, and a bit extreme, his sons and their sons after them kept these commands for generations without question. Sadly, the commands that are given to us by our heavenly Father, laws that we know are written for our benefit, are seldom obeyed with the same level of zeal, commitment, and ardor.

We have become a nation of people who love to give our ceremonial sacrifices to the Lord but have neglected the higher call to obey His Word. Our churches are still filled to overflowing on Sunday but obedience to the word of God is sorely lacking Monday through Saturday. One of the main themes of Jeremiah is the importance of obedience above and beyond any religious sacrifice, because in the end, obedience to God is the most accurate measure of our love for God. A willingness and desire to obey God is the first step in learning how to love God with all of our heart, strength, and mind.

Prayer: Father, as we begin this day, set our hearts on obeying Your voice. Help us to see that the path of peace, joy, and wellness are found as we faithfully obey Your word. Give us the resolve to fight our own desires to sin, and teach us to walk in the Spirit so that we might live for You more fully. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 2

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Samuel 15:17-24 (ESV): And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the Lord?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. 21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” 22 And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.” 24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Questions to Consider

What sin was Saul guilty of?
Why did he fall into that sin?
What was the consequence of that sin?

Notes

Saul was guilty of partial obedience. Instead of destroying everything of the Amalekites, Saul and his armies spared the best of the plunder for themselves and only destroyed the things that were worthless. In fact, the greater sin was not just the act of disobedience but assuming that they could appease God by sacrificing some of their treasures in His name. It is easy to justify our disobedience with all of our religious activity.
In the end, we see that Saul fell into this sin because of his own insecurities and the pressures of the people around him. Saul clearly understood what God had commanded him, but he could not bring himself to stand up against the desires of the people. They would have listened to their king, but Saul failed as their leader.
The consequence of sin was the rejection of Saul from being king over Israel. It seems rather harsh, especially in light of what seems like genuine repentance after the fact. However, it’s evident from this example, and many others to come, that Saul is not a man after God’s own heart. He is not fit to be the first king of God’s people, and so the throne was rightly taken from him.

Evening Reflection

Every day presents opportunities to either obey God or to disobey. Therefore, it is important to be sensitive to His voice so that we can grow in our obedience. Pray that God would give you ears to hear and a heart to understand all that His Spirit is saying. Take some time to reflect on your day, and to pray over areas of sin so that you might be washed in His forgiveness.