April 4, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Yes Lord; yet…”

Mark 7:24-30

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.

As a child, I grew up under the notion that one must never question God. I believed that doing so would not only be a show of irreverence to Him, but also signaled a lack of faith. And while I still certainly believe that we ought to be reverent to the Lord, when I look at Scripture, I see many men and women of faith asking questions and making requests to the Lord:  In Genesis 18, Abraham is, in a sense, bargaining with God to spare the city of Sodom. In Judges 6, Gideon asks God for multiple signs. In 1 Samuel 1, Hannah pleads with God, that He would give her a child. The Psalms are full of questions being raised up to God: “How long, O Lord?  Why, O Lord, do you stand far away?” These are just a few examples of Scripture that lead me to believe that our Heavenly Father is not only willing to hear our questions/requests, but He desires to respond to us!

Our passage today is perhaps one of the boldest moves I’ve ever read about in the Bible. The Syrophoenician woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter, but Jesus initially denies her request, indicating that His ministry is primarily for the Jews. At this moment, I might have walked away. After all, who am I to question Jesus? However, this woman’s response is incredible: “Yes, Lord; yet…” Captured in those three words, I believe, is the correct attitude with which we ought to present our requests to God: with reverent submission.

I love Jesus’ response. He grants her request by delivering her daughter of demon oppression, and in doing so he reveals that our God is not only sovereign but also graciously relational. Today, let’s remember that we can bring our questions and requests to our Father. He is not angry at us for asking questions; on the contrary, I believe that our Father is eager to respond to our requests.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for pausing and loving on this Syrophoenician woman, even though it wasn’t really her place to be asking You for things. It’s none of our places to be asking You for things, and yet You never turn down a desperate, contrite heart. Help us to come to You today as Your children, in humble submission, but also with boldness and confidence, knowing that you love to hear from us. In Your name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ephesians 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 4:5b-6: The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.        

Questions to Consider

  1. According to the passage, what truth allows us to not be anxious about anything?
  2. How, and with what attitude, are we to let our requests be made known to God?
  3. In what situations/circumstances are we to hold to these truths?

Notes

  1. The passage begins with this truth: “The Lord is at hand.” “At hand” simply means “near.” This is the truth that establishes the foundation upon which we are able to walk in the next two commands.
  2. How do we make requests unto God? By prayer and supplication (supplication is a “prayer of asking”). With what attitude are we to pray? With thanksgiving!
  3. Paul says not to be anxious about ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING, we should pray with thanksgiving, making our requests to God. That means that this is applicable in all situations and circumstances. And the reason is because “the Lord is at hand.”

Evening Reflection

Today, we read about the Syrophoenician woman who desperately pleaded with Jesus regarding her daughter who was oppressed by a demon. When was the last time you were desperate for the Lord? Most of us would agree, at least in our minds, that we couldn’t live without Jesus. But how often do we feel this desperation for His presence? This evening, let’s remember our need for God and rekindle our desperation for more of Him.

April 3, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

The Problem Is Me

Mark 7:14-15;21-23

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand:

There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him… For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Several years ago, I was driving back to Boston from the New Jersey area. It was late at night and I was surprised at the number of cars that were on the highway with me. Even more unusual was the number of cars that were honking and high-beaming. A car would swerve in front of me, and honk obnoxiously, and then speed ahead. I thought to myself “Yup, Massachusetts drivers… rude!” Another car kept high-beaming me from behind, for 5 straight minutes, before swerving around me and speeding off. My frustration with these terrible drivers was coming to a boiling point. It was in this moment that I looked down at my dashboard and realized that my headlights had been off during my entire drive. I had been driving 80mph, lightless, in the dead of the night, putting myself and everyone in my vicinity in danger. No one was around to see, but my face turned bright red in embarrassment as I realized, the problem was me.

When things go wrong, when relationships turn sour, when people get hurt, we are always looking to understand the source of this pain. Our first reaction may be to analyze the circumstances; perhaps we were just in an unfortunate situation. Then, our tendency is to look for faults in other people. But our passage for today teaches us that the primary source of evil and brokenness in our lives is the very heart that is within us. It takes a lot of humility to recognize that we are broken on the inside. But when we come to terms with the true condition of our hearts, that’s when the door opens for God’s healing to come.

Today, let us not be too quick to cast blame on others or the flaws of our society in general. Before we go there, let’s first admit that we, too, are in need of redemption.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help us today. Without Your help, what righteous thing can we do? Grant us the humility to recognize the brokenness of our own hearts. At the same time give us confidence, knowing that You are living and working within us, empowering us to be Your ministers of reconciliation. In Jesus name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ephesians 3

Lunch Break Study

Read James 3:7-12: For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to James, what is the problem with the tongue?
  2. What hope does James offer in regard to fixing this problem?
  3. Read Luke 6:43-45 what does Jesus say about the tongue (mouth)?

Notes

  1. According to James, the tongue (our words that proceed from it) is evil and full of deadly poison. He explains that it’s because we use our lips to bless God, but also to curse people.
  2. Unfortunately, James offers no hope. In fact, he states that “no human being can tame the tongue.” In other words, there is no power within us that is able to fix this problem.
  3. In this passage, Jesus says, “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” We see that the problem of the tongue is but a symptom of the heart. The root of the issue is not about having enough self-control to be able to hold back certain words. Rather, the source of the brokenness is the heart itself. The good news is that when we come to God, He is in the business of giving us new hearts.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time this evening thinking of people in your life who might be blessed by a word of encouragement from you. It may be a co-worker, a classmate, a roommate, or a family member. Pray for them tonight, and perhaps you can share a word of encouragement with them the next time you see them.

April 2, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals April 2-8 are written by David Son, who serves as the college pastor at Symphony Church in Boston.  David, a graduate of UC Berkeley (B.S.) and Gordon-Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Grace who teaches at a public school. (Two more news about them: first, they just had their first baby (Eli); second, they will be going to Taiwan as church planters later in the year.)

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“When Worship Becomes a Mere Tradition”

Mark 7:1-8

Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.”

In the 1700’s, German settlers in America had an interesting way of predicting the weather. On February 2nd, the midpoint between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, they believed that if the weather was sunny, there would be six more weeks of winter. On the other hand, if the weather was overcast on February 2nd, it would mean an early spring was coming. On that day, residents of Punxsutawney, PA would watch carefully to see if the sun would come out and cast a shadow on a groundhog, peeping out of its hole after hibernation. Thus, Groundhog Day was established. Still today, nearly 300 years later, on February 2nd of every year, tens of thousands of people travel to this small town to observe the tradition. But it doesn’t actually mean anything to anyone anymore. No one in attendance actually believes that this tradition will make any sort of real difference in their lives. It’s nothing more than a feel-good gathering of attendees. Yet, nearly 30,000 people show up to Punxsutawney, faithfully, every year, to celebrate Groundhogs Day, a mere tradition!

Why do you show up to Sunday worship each week? Do you come with an expectation to encounter the living God? Is there a desire for real transformation each time you enter into worship? Or somewhere along the lines, has worship become a mere tradition?

In our passage today, we discover that the Pharisees and scribes are very faithful about their traditions. And to be clear, none of these traditions are inherently sinful or wrong in their observance (washing hands, washing cups/pots/vessels). In fact, some of these traditions stem directly from obedience to the instructions God gave for His people to follow in Leviticus! However, we see that these things had become mere tradition. Jesus says, quoting Isaiah, “in vain do they worship me….”

Often I find myself envying the passionate worship of someone who has recently accepted Christ. Have you felt that way before? Perhaps the words “jaded” or “stuck in a spiritual rut” speak to how you’ve been feeling in your faith. Perhaps this is an indication that our worship has become mere tradition. Let’s spend some time this morning, reminding ourselves of why we do the things we do, and who we do them for—particularly if we have been doing them faithfully, for a long time.

Prayer: Father, bring us back to our first love today. Remind us of how You see us and love us. Refresh and renew our souls that we may once again be in awe of You. Breathe life back into the ways that we serve and the ways that we worship. We love You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ephesians 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 1:12-17: When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

Questions to Consider

  1. In this passage, what is God’s response to the worship of His people? What is surprising about this?
  2. Why do you think God feels this way towards these acts of worship?
  3. What kind of worshippers is God seeking?

Notes

  1. Surprisingly, God is indignant towards the worship that the Israelites are offering. He says to “bring no more vain offerings” and that “incense is an abomination to [Him].” He even says that when they pray, He will hide His eyes from them and not listen. This is quite surprising because none of these things are actually bad things. In fact, many of them were commanded by God to do!
  2. To be clear, God isn’t against worship, offerings, and prayer, and such. But when these things are “vain,” empty, and just a formality of tradition, that’s when God isn’t pleased with them. The Israelites were doing all of these things habitually; meanwhile they were not actually seeking the heart of God. In other words, it had the appearance of worship, but it was empty.
  3. God instructs His people to wash themselves (repent), learn to do good, seek justice, and correct oppression. In other words, the worshippers that God seeks are those who are being actively transformed by His character. This means that unless there is also some kind of Christ-like transformation happening in the way that we act/speak/think, the ceremonial aspects of worship lose their meaning.

Evening Reflection

Deuteronomy 5:15 – “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.”

This word in Deuteronomy is given to the Israelites more than 40 years after they had been delivered from Egypt. Yet, they are commanded to continually remember the day of their salvation. Likewise, tonight, spend some time remembering how He has redeemed you. The more we remember this, the better!

April 1, Easter Sunday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Matthew 28:1-7

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead….

The dawning of the first day of this particular week was a spectacular day, because it followed the death of Jesus. The old things have passed and new has come (1 Cor. 5:17), as Jesus’ body was not in the tomb.  When Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, arrived at the tomb to endow spices upon the Lord’s body, an angel tells them, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said…” (v.6). Then he instructs them to go quickly to tell the disciples that He is risen! Jesus had resurrected as promised.

This is glorious news, because the power of His resurrection also privileges us today. It has given us a new life through Him, as well as granting us access to the power of the living risen Christ! What does this mean?  For one, the penalty of sin has been completely paid, and we are no longer slaves to its power (Rom. 6:14).  We can overcome sin and temptation and choose to  live out of the Spirit of God in us.  Jesus has deemed powerless sin’s power by taking on all of its effects on the cross and making us the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). We are on the winning side.  Secondly, the resurrection power of Christ overcame death and death will no longer have any sting on us (1 Cor. 15:55). Eternal life is a promise that we are beholding even now—not only when we die. This means that we ought to live everyday from an eternal perspective.

Finally, Christ’s resurrection has given us access to its very power to carry out the Great Commission and the work of God, which has been prepared for us to do in advance. Ephesians 1:19-20 says, “…and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” We are now able to partner with the Holy Spirit to carry out the work of God in the same way that Jesus did: preaching the gospel, healing the sick, and casting out demons (Luke 9:2; Matt. 10:8). We are able to do this because the very Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us (Rom. 8:11).

These are privileges we have inherited because of our Savior’s victory over the grave, and when we access its presence in us, our lives will testify that Jesus has indeed risen!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the finished work of Christ on the cross! Thank You that this is truly the good news, and its power of resurrection has been made alive in me. Please help me to not keep it to myself but allow its power to be activated in my life by sharing with others that the Lord has risen. Thank you!  Amen.

Bible Reading for today:  Ephesians 1

March 31, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Luke 23:50-56

Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

Joseph of Arimathea was a righteous man, who appears to have had a private allegiance to Jesus. He was most likely a seeker, being that it is noted of him as “…waiting for the kingdom of God” (v.51). Joseph was also a wealthy, respected person in society who was a notable member of the Sanhedrin, a local court. Upon Jesus’ death, he requests for the Messiah’s body and carefully prepares it for burial. It is believed that he used his personal money to purchase a weighty amount of myrrh and aloe to properly prepare the wrappings on Jesus’ body. He, along with the help of another man named Nicodemus, carefully laid our Savior’s body in a brand new tomb located in a garden. Interestingly, garden tombs were often used for the burial of kings. Criminals would never be given such a tomb or such an intentional burial. Clearly, Jesus was not to be remembered as a condemned criminal; rather, His royal essence was being honored.

In this detailed account of Jesus’ burial, we see how Joseph recognizes the validity of Jesus’ respectability and courageously steps into the role of preparing the Lord for Resurrection Sunday. He is unaware of how he is serving a part in Jesus’ resurrection that would happen in two days—he is simply choosing courage to honor Jesus out of the affections of his heart. However, his act of faith will serve as part of the process in which God will fulfill His plans. While Jesus’ disciples are in fear and dismay, an unexpected admirer of Jesus moves out in faith and fills the gap.

There is a lesson for us in this reflection. Every time we step out in faith (especially when motivated by love), we fill the gap in bringing about God’s plans; and this faith plows the pathway for God’s will to be done.  Let us not allow fear to deter us from experiencing the fullness of God’s will for our lives. It is essential for us to confidently step into everything that God puts on our hearts, whether small or big, because these steps are paving a way for the Lord’s splendid plans to be birthed. We should rule over fear when it tries to rule us by choosing faith and courage, for fear binds and will not empower us to move forward. Embracing faith, however, will enable us to experience the unfolding of the extraordinary plans that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9)!

Prayer: Dear Lord, Your Word assures me that You have incredible plans for my life, and these plans are bigger than I often imagine or believe. Help me not to settle for less than what You have spoken over my life. Enable me to step into everything that You ask of me, in order that I could allow You to blossom Your plans through my response to You. Cleanse me of every fear and empower me to fix my eyes on You. Thank you!  Amen.

Bible Reading for today:  Galatians 5-6

March 30, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Luke 23: 22-25

“Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.” But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.”

It was exactly three times that Pontius Pilate made known to the people that Jesus was an innocent man. “I have found no reason for death in Him,” (v.22) he shouted. “But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.” (v.23). It was a somber and grim day when an innocent man was condemned to die by the very people for whom Jesus spent years loving and ministering.

How could this be? How could the same crowd that welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with exuberant joys now be urging for his crucifixion? It is confounding. Why would anyone with even a slightly sound mind demand the release of a murderer (“notorious prisoner”—Matt 27:16) over a peaceful man whose crime they could not account?

The explanation is God. They would have had no power over Him unless it was given from above (John 19:11). Isaiah 53:10 say, “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief.”  It was only by the designation of our incredibly good God that such an unexplainable turn of events could occur without reason. This is the sovereignty of God. What appeared to be a confusing moment in history was the process through which God was establishing salvation. All of mankind would benefit from what will come out of this one confusing moment in history. To see God in everyday life, through all of the challenges and trials, it is important for us not to lose sight of God’s sovereign power that is always at work for us.

As for us, we need not complain in our moments of discomfort and lack of understanding. Instead, when we recognize the mighty hand of God that prevails over all things, we shall choose to worship and offer up thanksgiving. As we do this, we will be anchored in peace no matter how difficult it may be at times to see the goodness of God. As we wait on Him in this way, we will see that the Lord will certainly bring us out of any grim days with an experience of His goodness and promise to work all things for the great good of those who love Him! (Rom 8:28)

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, how great thou art! I worship You this day and lift up praises to You because You are Lord over all. Forgive me for times that I make You small in my thinking and lose sight of Your intention to work all things out for my good. Help me Lord to hold onto the truths of who You are and find strength to wait upon You in all things. Thank you! Amen.

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 103:1-5: “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Questions to consider

  1. What is one thing in your life right now that may seem “grim”?
  2. What are some ways that you can process this “grimness” in light of God’s truth for you? Search some verses in God’s Word that give you perspective from the mind of Christ in you. Hold onto His promise.
  3. Take a writing pad and write a song or psalm unto the Lord that gives Him praise for who He is and all that He is doing in your life (despite how hard it has been).

Notes

  1. We often process life from a moment to moment perspective, thereby becoming overwhelmed and hopeless. However, God is confidently working out goodness in our lives. He has a perspective of a wider scope. His perspective is eternal, not momentary. Hence it says in 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory…” So we have every reason to hold onto hope during our dark and difficult days. God will certainly bring us out from them!
  2. Nahum 1:7; Ps 34:8; Ps. 31:19; 1 Timothy 4:4; Exodus 34:6; Jeremiah 29:11
  3. Thanksgiving and praise lift off the dark cloud that can loom over our minds and empower us to strength and peace.

Bible Reading for today:  Galatians 4

Evening Reflection

In light of our reflection this morning on the sovereign goodness of God at work in our lives, how were you able to process difficulties today in the light of this truth?

March 29, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Mark 6:34-36

And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things. When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat. But He answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.”

There is a Chinese video I ran across several years ago that profoundly remained with me. Perhaps you have seen it. It is about a mother who lives remotely in the mountains, many miles away from her daughter. Upon finding out that her grown and married child was tired, the aged mother, who is ill with cataracts, rummages into the mountains to pick some vegetable so that she can make her daughter some soup. She then begins her long journey to visit her child in the city by buying a bus ticket with the little money she has. She faces many challenges on the way due to her poor eyesight and her lack of familiarity with the city. Fortunately, despite all the obstacles, the mother manages to arrive at the daughter’s apartment; and finally, fumbles her way to making the soup she had set her heart to make.

It is a moving story. Compassion has this compelling nature, which moves a person—like this mother—to action. This action is love. As a spiritual leader once said, “Love looks like something”; it is not a feeling in the air, but love is an act. The act may be giving, forgiving, appreciating, listening, sacrificing, apologizing, or anything that looks to the benefit of another. We see Jesus setting this example. In Mark 6:34, we are told that as He looked upon the multitude of people, He had compassion on them “so He began to teach them many things” (v.34);and when He realized that they may be hungry, He instructed the disciples to feed the crowd (v.37); and they fed thousands on the spot. Jesus was all present with the people around Him, and His spiritual eyes were able to perceive their needs; his heart was vested in them.  In fact, He is all present with us. He perceived our needs to the point of shedding blood on the cross. This is compassion. This is love. As a follower of Jesus, let us imitate His example and allow compassion to compel us to perceive and act on the needs of others around us today. Let us allow our hearts to be vested in another. This is compassion. This is love.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that You not only felt compassion for me, but this compassion compelled you to action. This act of love changed my life and as I respond this, this very likeness of Your nature in me, I too will be used to change lives. Help me to be all present with the people around me so I can perceive the needs that You want to meet in their lives. Thank You for this privileged partnership! Amen.

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 John 3:18: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Questions to consider

  1. What are some of your experiences where compassion made a difference in your life?
  2. What may love look like in some challenging relationships that you have in your life?
  3. Take time to reflect on how Christ’s compassion & act of love on the cross has made a difference in your life. Give thanks.

Notes

  1. The Lord often uses different people along our walk of life to express His heart to us. It is beneficial to our hearts to reflect on these moments so that we do not lose sight of God’s goodness that has been with us through life.
  2. There is always one overriding solution to every relational problem… love. Love supersedes faith and hope because, in essence, it is the manifestation of both of those. God reduces us of ourselves in order that He may increase us in love. This is who He is (1 John 4:8) and this is the greatest call.
  3. Personal response.

Bible Reading for today:  Galatians 3

Evening Reflection

How were you able to express the compassion of Christ by acts of love today?

March 28, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Matthew 21:12-14

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

God created the human body to be a miraculous mechanism, possessing the ability to self-regulate. One of its most important processes in self-regulation is its extraordinary ability to cleanse and detox itself. Without detoxing, the toxins in the body will get absorbed into the bloodstream, on setting pollution and damage. This would ultimately lead to death, if it is left unaddressed. Therefore, cleansing is a vital function for the body, which also is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). It keeps us whole and able to have a vibrant, healthy life. This concept of cleansing is even more important when it comes to our spiritual state.

In Matthew 21:12-14, we find that Jesus enters the Jerusalem Temple and finds it spiritually violated. Being that it was only a few days away from Passover, many people had pilgrimed into Jerusalem; and there at the Temple, business transactions of ungodly manners were taking place: buying and selling of goods (most likely for animals and items for sacrificing) for monetary greed as well as profitable exchanges of money. Jesus, angered by the corruption taking place in His Father’s house, drives out the evil and declares that God’s house “shall be called a house of prayer” (v.14). Jesus detoxes the Temple in order that it would be an honorable dwelling for the Heavenly Father.

In this similar way, God wants to cleanse us of anything  that pollutes us, which may grieve the Holy Spirit who inhabits us. He needs us to cooperate with the cleansing process that He takes us through, whether it is by a moment of prayer or for a season through circumstances. His desire is to remove anything that is not in alignment with who He is, as a pure and holy God, and who we are, as His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). In this way, we would not grieve the Holy Spirit, but allow Him to resonate His magnificent glory through us. Cleansing is not a luxury but a necessity to a vibrant, healthy spiritual life that can host and enjoy the Lord’s presence in our lives.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, You are so good, and in Your goodness I have been made. Thank You for the joy in who I am and how You have made me. The work You do in my life is the process of bringing me more into the fullness of the new person that I am in Christ. I choose to celebrate and give You cooperation to Your lordship in my life!  Amen.

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23-34: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Questions to consider

  1. What does it mean that God sanctifies us completely—our spirit, soul, and body?
  2. Are there any parts of your soul that needs freedom in order for you to be able to cooperate with the Lord’s process?
  3. When is the last time you have experienced the Lord’s faithfulness? Recollect and give thanks.

Notes

  1. The lordship of Jesus needs to reign in every part of our being—that is, mind, emotions, will, and body. When we submit to this lordship, we are allowing the sanctifying work of God to take its course in our lives. By this, we would see more of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, manifesting through our nature, as well as being protected from the flaming arrows of the enemy. We are abiding in His will for us.
  2. When we choose not to submit to the Lord, we choose self-lordship; and this opens the door for the enemy to have influence over our thoughts and choices. He comes to us in accusation, condemnation, senses of rejection, division, and rebellion. He wants us to agree with him, in order that we may invest our energy to dead works, rather than to works that bear righteousness and life.

Bible Reading for today:  Galatians 2

Evening Reflection

This morning we meditated on the importance of allowing God’s sanctifying process to take place in our lives. In the light of this reflection, did you embrace His process today rather than despise it?

March 27, Tuesday

The AMI QT Devotionals from March 26-April 1 are provided by Hee Jung Lee.  Hee Jung, a graduate of Biblical Theological Seminary, serves at Catalyst Agape Church (New Jersey) along with her husband Pastor Sam Lee.  They have four beautiful daughters.

 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Expectant Pursuit

Mark 5:25-28

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

“It feels like I’m always chasing you, Lord,” I recently said to God in my prayer time, retrospectively recollecting on my constant pursuit to experience more of His power and presence. It’s not as if He has ever been farther than the breath on my lips, but without question, I have sought Him; and I continue to invest my heart to seeking after the Lord. I have relentlessly pursued Him in the private, and I have sought to encounter Him in the public.

One common fruit from all this pursuit has been that He never fails me. In fact, the Lord continues to surprise me with fresh encounters of Him—not all in the familiar ways—but in ways where the Lord breathes alive dormant truths that bring experiences as reality. This expectancy fuels the pursuit, the pursuit spawns expectancy, and the Lord responds to such a desperate desire for His touch.

Such was the case for the bleeding woman in Mark 5:28, where she says to herself, If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well. Deemed as incurable and having expended all her resources, she sees Jesus, the miracle healer walking amongst a travelling crowd; and her expectant pursuit for only a healing touch of His garment, heals her instantly. What a glorious moment where heaven met her, and the truth that God cares for her wellbeing became a realistic encounter!

This is the joy of our salvation, that we may continue to seek after the Lord and discover that the expectancy in our pursuit will not leave us disappointed. It is the desire of the Heavenly Father to unveil Himself to us, and allow all that He speaks of in His Word regarding Himself and us to be tangible truths for us to experience as reality. Challenge Him in this if you doubt, because He responds to our wholehearted desire for Him. He is worthy of such a pursuit!

So during this Passion Week, let us reflect on how our pursuit for the Lord may have become dry, diluted, or unbelieving. Let us make a fresh commitment to seek the Lord with eager expectancy, because the Lord is a great rewarder to those who diligently seek Him!

Prayer: Dear Father, you are worthy of all of me! You are my Father and I am your offspring. I have nothing worthwhile apart from you. I pray that you will breathe Your Spirit afresh on me. I want to be excited about all that has to do with You, and love You first with all of my heart. I want to experience Your Truths in my life. Thank you!  Amen.

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 55:6-7: Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Questions to consider

  1. How does it look to you personally to pursue God wholeheartedly?
  2. Are there any disappointments you have that keeps you from believing to receive from God?
  3. What is one truth in God’s Word that you want to press in to experience more of or to experience as reality?

Notes

  1. The greater measure to which we set our hearts to know the Lord is the measure to which we will find Him. It’s important not to be dismayed, but His mercies are new everyday, and we can have a fresh pursuit each day, one day at a time.
  2. Unaddressed disappointments can root unbelief. It should not be left to fester but should address it by recognizing, taking responsibility for agreeing with lies, repenting for it, and removing the lies.
  3. Some examples of such truths may be that God is a healer, that God is generous, that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is in us, etc.

Bible Reading for today:  Galatians 1

Evening Reflection

We started the day thinking about how we should have a wholehearted, expectant pursuit of God with our lives. In light of this reflection, did you find yourself seeking the Lord more?

March 26, Monday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written by Hee Jung Lee of Catalyst Agape Center, NJ.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Enter in!”

Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.

I imagine that it was a bright, sunny, and glorious day. One of those picture perfect days when Jesus was mounted upon a donkey, riding into Jerusalem with a massive crowd exalting Him.  Yet it would be this very week that He would be betrayed by the same people and face an agonizing crucifixion. The King of Kings entered into His fate and purpose for which He came into the world with great meekness and mercy. His entering into the world also was of the same manner: born to ordinary citizens in a place unfamiliar to the glamorous and powerful. Yet as Jesus enters into Jerusalem, the crowd rejoices greatly, with an unrestrainable acknowledgment of His majesty. It was as Prophet Zechariah spoke: “… Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Zechariah enables us to see the humble image of how Jesus would choose to enter into His fate and bring salvation to all men. The donkey was an intentional choice whose symbolism speaks to us here. During that time period, whereas horses signified wars and rulership, donkeys represented peace. Jesus’ such entry was symbolizing the peace that He had come to restore unto mankind. He had not come in the terms as men would imagine, conquering and dividing; rather, He came to restore. Furthermore, His entry on a donkey symbolized how He had come not to be served as other kings, but to serve—even the least forgotten of people.

His humble acceptance of His fate would offer freedom from oppression for all of humanity. The oppression from sin, unhealthy emotions, addictions, and ultimately, all spiritual oppression would no longer have power. So during this Passion Week, let us meditate upon the willingness of our Savior, who, without reproach, entered into His purpose to bring salvation and freedom to us. As we think upon this truth, we will realize how we too are able to enter into our daily purpose with meekness and without reserve to serve people as Jesus did. We do not need to enter in on horses, but on a mere donkey—as Jesus did—extending the world a power that is expressed through humility and loving service.

Prayer: Dear Father, I thank You that Jesus eagerly embraced His purpose here on earth, in order that I would be restored to be able to understand mine. Thank You that I can face every day with great joy, to serve the ones around me with the same meekness and merciful  heart that Jesus had. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit today to be able to walk this out. Thank you!  Amen.

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 10:32-45: Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him:  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”  But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”  And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Questions to consider:

  1. Why is meekness an attribute needed to serve God’s purpose?
  2. What is one habit that you can develop that will help you to embrace God’s purpose for you daily?
  3. Are you serving the ones whom God has placed in your life? If not, what is one thing you can do in order to serve as Jesus came to serve?

Notes

  1. In Matthew 5:5, Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.” Meekness is not passivity, as one would think; rather, it is where a person is able to bring themselves under control in order to serve another—in our case, to serve God’s purposes. It is a strength, not a weakness, that allows God’s purpose to be established on the earth.
  2. Habits take time to develop and should be revisited daily in order not to neglect or forget the goal. Some say habits take 28-40 days for it to become a lifestyle.
  3. We are all called to serve another. Every person that God has placed in our lives are meant to be loved by us in one way or another, to one measure or another. Consider whether you may be seeking more to receive than to give. Consider how you can switch that to be the giver and not the one seeking to receive. In Luke 6:38, it says that when we give, it will be given unto us. True satisfaction is in the giving.

Bible Reading for today: Judges 21

Evening Reflection

In light of our reflection this morning on entering into everyday with the meekness of heart to serve God’s purpose and to serve those around you, how did you fare today in walking out this devotional?