March 12, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals from March 11-13 are provided by Mei Lan Thallman. Mei Lan is originally from Taiwan and a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.A.) in Kentucky. She is the wife of Pastor Kirt, who serves at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia). They have two children, Nate (14) and Naomi (12).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Underdog Champions”

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Super Bowl 2018 marked the history of Philadelphia for winning its very first Super Bowl championship. This memorable win had a dramatic story of its own. The Philadelphia Eagles was the underdog team who fought their way up as the season progressed. Two games prior to the NFL championship, their star quarterback, Carson Wentz, tore his ACL and joined mounting casualties of injured key players out of the season. At the Super Bowl, they played against the legendary five-time reigning Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots and their super undefeated quarterback, Tom Brady. The Eagles’ backup quarterback, Nick Foles, faced the pressure calmly and courageously led the team with undaunted grit toward the epic win of 44 to 33.

The city of Philadelphia was ecstatic over the Eagles victory. An estimated number of 700,000 fans—including people I know—traveled near and far to stand in the bitter cold, just to take part of the historical victory parade. People had a genuine personal identification with the team’s unrelenting tenacity to overcome setbacks, doubts, and obstacles. They were all so proud of their team.

All of us can relate with feeling like an underdog, facing life’s many challenges, unexpected turns, adversities, losses, and failures. The Philadelphia Eagles showed us there is great power when people pull together as a unified team to overcome the insurmountable odds against them.

In Hebrews 12:1-3, I envision a long parade lined up with heaven’s great hall of famers, the unsung champions of faith, along with our loved ones or mentors who have gone before us, cheering us on from heavenlies to not give in to the temptation of giving up—especially when life’s obstacles make us feel like an underdog. They tell us to keep pressing on for Jesus with tenacity and live a life worthy of the gospel, one moment at a time, one day at a time, and to confidently trust in God’s ability and faithfulness to help us become the champions of faith that He desires us to be.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being my Savior, Redeemer and Lord. Thank You that I am saved to participate and partner with You in the ongoing redemptive work of the Father. Empower me to keep standing firm in faith and in Your truth so that I may not be given to fear. Thank You that I am already a winner in Christ. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Judges 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 11:1-7: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible 4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

Questions to Consider

What is one common characteristic that the people listed in Hebrews 11 shared?
Read Hebrews 11:6. In what areas of your life do you need to apply more faith?
How does faith in God change your perspective on life?

Notes

These were ordinary underdogs of the world, empowered by faith in God to conquer staggering circumstances.
We need to daily put on the glasses of faith to have the right perception and interaction with the world around us.
Life does not center around me but on God. The main purpose of my life is to know Him and glorify Him with my being and doing.

Evening Reflection

Take time to remember the people God has used in your life to point you to have a personal relationship with God. Ask God for grace and power to pass on the legacy of faith to the people in your circle of influence.

March 11, Sunday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Mark 2:23-28 (ESV)

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Many Christians today consider the Sabbath to be an archaic, obsolete regulation that is out of touch with our busy and competitive work environments—not realizing that the Sabbath was designed exactly for this reason. For a moment in our week, we can allow God to remind us that our lives belong securely in His hands—that ultimately, we are not the authors of our own success, and we can stop striving for that unreachable goal. The problem that we find is that many of us look at church not as a place of rest but just another place to strive. We do this by reducing the Sabbath to just another obligation that we need to fulfill in order to prove that we are good Christians. This is what the Pharisees were guilty of, so Jesus tells them: “Man wasn’t made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for man.” In other words, God doesn’t require the Sabbath for His benefit but for our own.

One of the great benefits, for those of us who are committed to a Sabbath rest, is the flourishing of our relationships. All Christian fellowship is dependent on cycles of rest, because you cannot establish deep relationships if you are otherwise consumed by your work and your ambitions. It’s amazing how much of a difference rest can make in our relationships with one another. The Sabbath was designed to intentionally put enough space in our lives, so that we could enjoy the relationships God has given us. But knowing the rich benefits of the Sabbath is still not enough motivation for many of us to take the rest that we need.

Unless you live with a deep sense of freedom, you won’t pursue the rest that your soul is longing for. As many of us think about our schedules and our future success, there doesn’t seem to be any other option but to continue this frantic pace. There are many factors that contribute to these feelings: In this economy, job security is a major concern. There are hundreds of people waiting to take our jobs if we don’t do well. Technology is another culprit. We now have the capacity to work anywhere and at anytime—meaning, we don’t have the luxury of clocking out. Finally, sociologists tell us that for the first time in human history, we now have a society that determines personal identity and worth based almost completely on achievement. The traditional value of having your identity linked to your family is something that has essentially disappeared

For all of these reasons and more, many of us feel trapped by our work. One of the things that Jesus did so well in his interactions with people was to identify the things that enslaved them. Christianity—more than any other religion—emphasizes the recovery of human freedom. This connection between freedom and rest is most clearly revealed in Deuteronomy 5:15: in instituting the Sabbath, God tells the Israelites, “Remember you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God brought you out with a mighty hand; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.” The Sabbath was given to the people of God as a reminder of their freedom. And whether your master is Pharoah, corporate America, or your own ambition, the results are exactly the same—you feel like you have no control over your time and work. That is the bottom line definition of what is means to be enslaved.

In every age and culture, the most dangerous master is the unrelenting lure of success and wealth. The nature of man can’t help but base his identity on these things that are so artificial and fleeting. Unfortunately, we are often driven by this master, not realizing the negative impact it has on our lives. By realizing God’s loving intention for the Sabbath, we can prevent this self-induced bondage and learn how to live life in all its abundance.

Prayer: Father, we confess that none of Your commands are burdensome or restrictive. Everything You teach us is meant for our good and for our freedom. Help us to learn what it means to rest in You, by observing the Sabbath and keeping it holy. As we cultivate this discipline, may we experience the renewing effect of the Sabbath on our body, soul, and mind. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Judges 4

March 10, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Mark 2:13-17

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

In this passage, we see Jesus calling Levi—better known to us as Matthew, the author of the first Gospel—to be one of His disciples. The first thing we learn about this man is his occupation, that he is a tax collector. Now, as much as we might dislike taxes and tax collectors, the typical Jew would have had a bitter hatred for tax collectors—especially if they were one of their countrymen. And this hatred would have been justified because tax collectors were employees of the occupying Roman Empire and their governors. The Jews absolutely hated Roman control over their land, and so collecting taxes for the Romans would have been viewed as a traitorous act. Therefore, the only people who would be willing to take such a job would have been those who were desperate for money and already outcasts of society. If you have already been rejected by society, what does it matter if you are cast out even further? At a certain point you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by betraying a society that has already betrayed you. Why Matthew chose to become a tax collector, we don’t know, but we do know that he was very comfortable being around other “sinners.”

For these reasons, it is amazing that Jesus called this man to “follow him,” and to make him one of His leaders. There are only two call narratives in the Gospel of Mark: the first is the calling of two pairs of brothers, Simon and Andrew, James and John. It’s clear why Mark mentions these particular men because three of them would go on to form the nucleus of Jesus’ ministry. But after that, there is no mention of how the other eight men were called—except for Levi. And so what does this tell us? There is something significant about the calling of Mathew, because it is one thing to make disciples of fisherman, and a totally different thing to make a tax collector a disciple. There is nothing morally objectionable about being a fishermen—you might not be the most educated person or have any sort of position in society but can still be a respectable person. But a tax collector has lost all respectability and has become an outcast of society; no respectable religious leader would have kept company with such a person. But we see here that Jesus not only keeps company with such people, but He makes them disciples and identifies with them.

Jesus goes on to have dinner with Matthew and his band of “sinners.” This group would have included adulterers, prostitutes, thieves, and others on the fringe of society. By having dinner with them, Jesus was extending a hand of friendship to this group. Jesus is the friend of sinners and He longs to dine with us. When Mark wrote the description of this dinner, he used the Greek word katakeisthai, which is a far more formal and luxurious term than the usual meaning of the word “dinner.” This was not a group of friends getting together for an informal gathering. Rather, Matthew would have taken out the best of his silverware and cooked the most expensive of foods. The better term here might be the word “banquet,” because I believe it’s safe to assume that in this dinner, Mark saw a symbol of the great Messianic banquet at the end of age, when all sinners will be gathered together with Christ for a wedding feast. And at the feast of heaven, there will be people that we will not expect to be there, occupying the seats of honor. Perhaps that homeless person that you drive by everyday, who struggled all his life to maintain his faith in the midst of poverty and dementia, will be seated at a place of great honor. Perhaps sitting next to you will be former drug addicts, prostitutes, and others who were lost, but somehow they were found and gave their lives to the Lord. We can all look forward to the day when every sinner invited to the banqueting tables of God will rejoice with their Savior. What a glorious day that will be!

Prayer: Father, we are forever grateful that You call sinners to Yourself and that You sent Your Son to be the friend of sinners. We acknowledge that it is by Your grace that all are saved and not by our own righteousness. Though we didn’t deserve the love that was shown to us on the Cross, help us to receive it. We look forward to the day when we sit with our Savior and dine with Him. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Judges 2-3

March 9, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Mark 2:1-12 (ESV)

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

In this passage, Jesus gives the crowd physical evidence of His spiritual authority to forgive sin. But in order to prove to the religious leaders and skeptics that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sin, He commands the paralyzed man to rise up and pick up his mat. From man’s perspective, we would conclude that it is far more difficult to command a physical healing, because you can’t prove if someone’s sins are forgiven. However, from God’s perspective, the forgiveness of sin comes at a far greater price and is a much more difficult thing—something only God can do.

The physical healing, in this case, is a sign and evidence of the spiritual healing. I realize that not all cases of divine forgiveness are going to be evidenced by such a dramatic sign, but, at the same time, I do believe that there should be at least some sort of physical evidence. It seems impossible to receive true forgiveness and not walk in greater joy, deeper conviction of sin, and heartfelt love for Christ. The very words of Jesus teach us that those who have been forgiven much, love much.

We dare not become like these scribes who doubted and questioned whether or not Jesus has the authority to forgive sin. The world is okay with Christianity—as long as we stay within the boundary of our own morals and ethics. Some years ago, I was talking with a co-worker about Buddhism; he was sharing with me about man’s need to love one another, and how we should be kind to those who are our enemies. I was thinking how much this sounds like the Sermon on the Mount; and it seemed so tempting to believe that both Christianity and Buddhism are both valid expressions of faith based on their ethical teaching. However, the fundamental difference between these world religions is that Buddha came to provide enlightenment, whereas Christ came with the authority to forgive sin. Anyone can offer you enlightenment—you just have to be an insightful teacher—but only God can forgive sin. Of all the leaders of the world religions, only Christ claimed the power to forgive our sins; and He proved it not only through this miracle but through His death and resurrection.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for bearing our sin on the cross. By the power of Your resurrection, we believe that all our sins have been forgiven and that we no longer have to live in guilt and shame. Teach us how to live in the freedom that You purchased for us and to walk in Your forgiveness, forgiving others as You have forgiven us. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Judges 1

Lunch Break Study

1 John 1:5-10(ESV)

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Questions to Consider

What does it mean to walk in darkness?
What does it mean to walk in the light?
Why is it a matter of justice for God to forgive our sins as we confess?

Notes

In the apostle John’s writings, darkness goes beyond matters of morality and ethics but refers to the condition of death that sin causes. Therefore, walking in darkness is a state where there is no sensitivity or guilt in connection to sin. Those who say that they have no sin are prime examples of those who are walking in darkness. People who sin continually with no remorse or thought of repentance should also be considered to be walking in darkness, because their hearts have not been made alive to the reality of sin.
In contrast, walking in the light simply means walking in the fullness of life that has been secured by Christ. As John writes in his Gospel, Christ is the source of life and that life is the light of men. Those who walk in this light are being cleansed of their sin by the blood of Jesus. In other words, this light overcomes the sin in our lives by causing us to be sensitive and repentant over these wrongs.
We usually equate justice with judgment and punishment, not with the forgiveness of sin. But God operates on the principle of double jeopardy— meaning, once the penalty for sin has been paid, it would be an injustice to exact a second payment for that sin. In a manner of speaking, once Christ paid for our sin on the cross, God limited Himself so that the only choice He has in response to our confession of sin is to forgive us freely.

Evening Reflection

Have you confessed your sins today and experienced His forgiveness? Have you considered how sin robs us of the fullness of life that God intends for us? Meditate on what it means to walk in the light, and how you can live more fully in that light.

March 8, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“The Root of our Skeptism”

Mark 1:21-34 (ESV)

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. 29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

A great number of evangelical, Bible-believing Christians don’t truly believe that God performs miraculous healings today. These views are largely shaped by the negative publicity of healing ministries and their leaders, who make a fortune on the misfortune of others. Investigations show little documented evidence of the names and illnesses that they have healed, and some even use actors to fake healings. These ministries seem to be a far cry from the way Jesus healed in the Gospels, and appear to be driven more by money than faith.

In the midst of these kinds of lies and deceptive practices, I see why it is so easy for thoughtful Christians to dismiss any account of miraculous healing or to doubt the power of prayer. However, the one institution that should be an expert on healing has long been embroiled in debates about whether or not faith and prayer has real efficacy in healing their patients. The medical school establishment here in the United States, which is among the best in the world, has long seen the connection between spirituality and healing. Obviously, there is a great amount of debate here and the studies are inconclusive, but in the 2003 November edition of Newsweek magazine, it was reported that—at the time—nearly half of all medical schools offered a class called “Spirituality and Medicine.” Ten years prior, the number of schools that offered this type of class was only three.

It seems that a great number of doctors and those who are experts in medicine cannot readily dismiss the unexplainable connection between faith and healing. Newsweek magazine—along with many other reputable publications—have had some interesting articles from a secular standpoint on the power of God to heal. (The one cited in this blog can be found in the 2003 Newsweek entitled “Faith and Healing.”) In fact, while doing some research, I was surprised to find that there was an archive of actual documented cases of miraculous healing in the library at the UC San Diego School of Medicine. These patients had terminal diseases, such as inoperable cancer, but for reasons unknown to the doctors all symptoms of the disease were healed. Clearly, there seems to be some opposing arguments against the notion that God does not heal miraculously today. It is a sad day when the secular world seems to have greater faith than some parts of the church, and it is a challenge for us to develop a proper understanding of the biblical ministry of healing.

Prayer: Lord, give us the faith to believe that You are our Healer. Though You may not heal us completely in this lifetime, we know that at the resurrection, we will be made whole and complete. In the meantime, as we struggle with pain and the impermanence of our earthly bodies, help us to resist the lies of the enemy that You cannot heal us today. Just as You walked through the crowds and healed all their disease, we trust that healing is in Your hands. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 24

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18(ESV): But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Questions to Consider:

What does it mean to have treasures in jars of clay?
Why should we not lose heart in the midst of suffering and persecution?
What is the purpose of our temporary afflictions?

Notes:

The treasure that every believer holds in their heart is the knowledge of the glory of God. However, that treasure is held in our fragile, breakable, and temporary earthly bodies—this is a striking contrast of something so valuable and priceless being held in something so ordinary. Therefore, what gives us worth is the treasure that is held in these earthen vessels; and our power comes from God and not from ourselves.
Because of the light of Christ that is renewing us day by day. Though our outer bodies might show signs of aging and begin to waste away, our inner self is being transformed from one glory to another through the work of the Holy Spirit. This is why growing spiritually is so vitally important for the believer; it reminds us that though our flesh might be destroyed, yet with our eyes we will one day see God.
Our temporary afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory that is beyond compare. The suffering that we go through in this life shapes our character, increase our faith, and grow our dependence of God. These things, however, are merely preparations for an incomparable glory that God will bestow to us when we see Him face to face. On that day, we will be made like Christ—in all His perfection and glory!

Evening Reflection

Are you living in light of eternity and with an eternal perspective? Perhaps you are going through some difficult times with your health, the unexpected passing of a loved one, or some tragedy in your family. May the power of Christ’s resurrection fill your heart with hope, and provide you with the strength to overcome your current situation!

March 7, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Are you a disciple of Jesus?”

Mark 1:16-20 (ESV)

Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ? The topic of discipleship is something that I’ve thought about since my time in seminary. I vividly remember our New Testament professor asking the class, “How many of you consider yourself to be Christian?” I wasn’t sure if this was a trick question, but it certainly was the easiest question we’ve been asked in seminary; so all of us raised our hands confidently. But after our response, the professor asked the hardest question in my years of theological training: “How many of you consider yourself to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ?” I remember looking around the room, and at first no one raised their hand, and then about five of us in a class of twenty reluctantly put our hands up. Now you need to realize that this was a class of third year seminary students, many of whom had decided to make ministry a full-time career. Yet we were unsure and confused about what discipleship to Christ meant. And then my professor taught me a lesson that I will never forgot and one that I hope you will never forget. In the New Testament, there is no distinction between being a Christian and being a disciple of Christ—they are one and the same.

When we read the Great Commission in the book of Matthew, Jesus calls his first disciples to make more disciples by going out to the nations. But it’s in the book of Acts where we find that the word “Christian” was first used to identify the disciples of Jesus, which simply means those who belong to Christ or who claim to be His followers. For those of us who consider ourselves to be a Christian—and really take that calling seriously—we are committed to a lifetime of discipleship. But what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Does it mean going to church every Sunday, belonging to a Christian fellowship, and praying and reading our Bible daily? I believe being a Christian means so much more than that. If I were to summarize what it means to be a disciple in two words, it would be “FOLLOW ME.”

Christianity at its core simply means to follow Christ—no matter where, no matter what, and no matter the cost. And when we look at the Scriptures, the best example of someone who followed after Christ in this manner was one of his first disciples—Simon Peter. I love the example of Peter because it personally gives all believers hope that they can follow after Jesus. Peter’s relationship with Jesus began with a decisive action, as he left his nets and his father’s business in order to become a follower. However, Peter’s path to becoming a disciple was not without difficulty. As you study the Gospels, you realize that Peter was uneducated, prideful, and cowardly, making one mistake after another; yet Jesus never gave up on him. And ultimately, he learned how to follow his Savior. Like Peter, Jesus calls us to follow Him, and we can be encouraged that He makes ordinary fishermen and transforms them into extraordinary disciples.

Prayer: Lord, help us to heed Your call to follow after You. We are grateful that You take ordinary people like us and call us to live extraordinary lives for You. We realize that this is not easy and that our strength will fail us, but teach us how to depend upon You and to count the cost of discipleship. Give us the courage to pick up our cross, deny ourselves, and follow where You lead us. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 23

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 14: 25-33 (ESV): 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.

Questions to Consider

Why does Jesus tell the crowds to hate our families and our own lives in order to become His disciples?
What is the cross that we were meant to bear?
What is the cost of discipleship?

Notes

Jesus is teaching us that our old allegiances to family and personal identity must be replaced with a new commitment to Him and a newfound identity as His disciple. The large crowds that were following Jesus didn’t all have a fundamental change in the priority of their lives; their loyalties were still divided. Jesus makes it very clear that His true disciples must place Him as the highest priority in their lives. He is not suggesting that we abhor our parents or ourselves but simply to reprioritize our relationships so that He comes before anything else.
Although all of us will have different crosses to bear, at the bottom line, the cross does refer to some degree of suffering and rejection by the world. There is no way to follow Christ completely without experiencing some level of sacrifice. Following Jesus will cost you something and although this loss may be rewarded with something far better later, there is still an initial investment that will have to be made.
Jesus tells us that we have to be prepared to renounce everything that we have in order to follow Him. A disciple of Christ cannot hold onto anything too tightly or attempt to control his own destiny. The cost of discipleship may be a loss of a job, a relationship, wealth, or even your own safety and security. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the personal sacrifice necessary to follow Jesus and prepare accordingly.

Evening Reflection

Did you sense Jesus guiding you by the Holy Spirit recently? Did you follow or resist? Is there anything holding you back from wholeheartedly obeying God? Take a few moments to renounce the things that are competing for your allegiance, and consider how you can be a more effective disciple.

March 6, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“The Wilderness”

Mark 1:9-15 (ESV)

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Each of the four Gospels begins with differing points of view and emphasis according to each author and audience. The Gospel of Mark begins the story of Jesus Christ, not by tracing His genealogy down a long list of names or even going back to a certain point in time, but it begins with a location. From the vantage point of this particular Gospel, I believe the Spirit of God is interested in teaching us that the gospel had its beginnings in the wilderness. And as we recognize this theme being played out here in this first chapter of Mark, we need to ask ourselves what is the significance of the wilderness.

First, the wilderness represents a separation from the world and a departure from the ungodliness of men. If you have ever gone camping in a very remote location, you will be amazed by the difference that you feel. I remember taking a youth group out to the Sequoia National Forest and taking them to a trailhead at the highest elevation, and hiking in about 15 miles into this very remote camping site. There was no water, no lights, no phone service, and no people. During the three days we were there, I felt utterly separated from the world. In a similar way, when you receive the gospel, you realize that it calls you out of the world, away from its distractions, and away from its sin.

Second, the wilderness represents a place of new beginnings and a place of hope. In the early part of American history, many people went out West into the wilderness in order to start life anew. Most of the people that moved West, into the unknown frontier, came from the poorer class of American society. The rich and the elite had no reason to go out into the wilderness, but for the poor, the discouraged, and those without hope, the wilderness represented a place of great opportunity—a chance for a new beginning. The gospel represents exactly the same thing for every single person who believes. It holds out for us the promise of a new beginning, a reason to hope.

Finally, the wilderness represents a place of intimacy with God and restoration of our relationship with Him. The Scriptures present the wilderness with a sense of romantic nostalgia—a harsh and dangerous place, yet a place where God’s people were wholly dependent on Him. Oftentimes when you look at things in hindsight, you focus on the good and overlook the bad. This is essentially what God does with His people’s time in the wilderness. In passages like Jeremiah 2:2, God remembers with fondness the close relationship that He had with His people and states, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness.” There is a special place in God’s heart for our seasons in the wilderness, because it’s the place where He first courted us, and where we first learned to respond to His love by following Him with a simple devotion. This morning, if you are going through a personal time in the wilderness, count it a blessing!

Prayer: Father, as Your Spirit led Your Son into the wilderness, we know that You will lead us into our own times in the wilderness. Help us to see that it is because of Your great love for us that You bring us into these seasons of our lives. In those times, give us the strength to overcome the sins of the world, the faith to believe in new beginnings, and the courage to depend solely on Your love. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 22

Lunch Break Study

Read Hosea 2:14-20 (ESV): “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 15 And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. 16 And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. 18 And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. 19 And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”

Questions to Consider

Why does God desire to draw His people back into the wilderness?
What is the significance of the Valley of Achor?
What are the conditions of the New Covenant with God?

Notes

The reason why God allures his people back to the wilderness is for the sake of love. Even though we give Him no reason to offer us redemption, but, in fact, give Him every reason to reject us, God grants His salvation to people for reasons that are entirely found within His own heart.
The Valley of Achor is where Achan was stoned to death for rebelling against God by taking the loot from the conquest of Jericho in Joshua 7. This act of greed was explicitly forbidden by God and it brought on His wrath. In calling the Valley of Achor a door of hope, God is reversing the curse of disobedience and in the place of trouble; He offers hope.
The condition of our New Covenant with God is to be betrothed to Him in righteousness and justice, and with steadfast love and mercy. As you can see, all of these requirements are provided by God and is the bride-price paid by Christ’s death on the cross. The seal of the New Covenant is God’s faithfulness—which ensures that each of these requirements will be met by God Himself.

Evening Reflection

How has God revealed His love for you today? Take time to consider how God draws us to Himself during the course of our daily lives. Did you take time to respond to God’s love when you sensed Him calling? Allow God’s kindness to lead you to a time of repentance.

March 5, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals from March 5-11 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Mark 1:1-8 (ESV)

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Gospel of Mark opens with John the Baptist’s acknowledgment of the superiority of Jesus’ ministry, based on one very important distinction—the nature of their baptisms. We read that while John baptized his followers in water, Jesus came to baptize His disciples in the Holy Spirit. John clearly saw the limitation of his own ministry, and in this passage he talks about the fact that his own work is limited to baptism by water.

Now, water serves as the symbol of cleansing and the forgiveness of sin, but in reality, water does nothing more than cleanse the outside of your body. No matter how refreshed you may feel after a shower, no one thinks that water has the capacity to cleanse the heart or renew the soul. I remember talking with a PhD student who marveled at the unique properties of water. (It is the only substance that is lighter in its solid form than in its liquid form, which allows for life on earth.) Admittedly, water is amazing and it sustains physical life, but it cannot do the one thing that is most important for you and me: it cannot give life to the soul.

It should be noted that the first activity that is identified with Jesus—the distinguishing mark of His ministry—is the fact that He is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit. And it is this baptism in the Holy Spirit that unlocks the door to living more powerfully for God. Dwight L. Moody, the great American evangelist, speaks about his experience with the Holy Spirit in his memoirs. In the summer of 1871, two women in his congregation felt a burden to pray for Moody “that the Lord would give him the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire.” Every Sunday, he would see them praying in the front row, and at first, he was irritated. Eventually, realizing he had no power behind his preaching, he decided to join them in prayer every Friday afternoon. In November of that year, when his church burned down to the ground, he went to New York to raise funds to rebuild his church. Day and night, he wandered the streets of the city, desperate for just a touch of God’s power in his life.

Then suddenly it happened. Moody explained: “One day, in the city of New York—oh, what a day!—I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name . . . I can only say that God revealed himself to me, and I had such an experience of his love that I had to ask him to withhold his hand.” From that day on, Moody would confess that though he did not present any new truths, for some reason hundreds were converted in response to his preaching. The message was the same, but the power behind the man had changed completely. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the only way that you and I can ever hope to live boldly and courageously for God.

Prayer: Lord, help me to live in the power of Your Holy Spirit. If there is anything that is hindering the Spirit’s work in my life, I pray that it would be revealed to me. If there is any sin that is grieving Your Spirit, help me to come to a place of repentance. Teach me how to live according to Your Spirit and to be filled continually by His presence. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 21

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:7-15 (ESV): Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Questions to Consider

Why was it good that Jesus left the disciples after the resurrection?
What will the Holy Spirit convict the world of?
What does the Holy Spirit teach believers?

Notes

Because upon His ascension, Jesus was free to send the Holy Spirit. Now the ministry of Christ was no longer bound by His bodily limits but available to spread freely through all those who believed in His name.
One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. First, the Spirit reveals the sin of unbelief and convicts the human conscience of its rejection of Christ. Second, the Spirit directs the world to a righteousness that can only be secured through the finished work of Christ. Finally, the Holy Spirit declares to the world the victory of Christ over Satan.
The Holy Spirit leads believers in the truth that is taught by the Father and the Son. The Spirit does not teach based on His own authority, but what has been given to Him by the Son. In essence, the ministry of the Spirit points believers to Christ and connects them to their Savior.

Evening Reflection

Take time in worship and prayer, asking the Lord to fill you with His Spirit. How has the Holy Spirit been moving in your life recently? What conviction or revelation have you experienced as a result of seeking the Lord?

March 4, Sunday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Bring your best to the Lord!”

Genesis 49:1

Then Jacob called for his sons and said: “Gather around so I can tell you what will happen to you in days to come.”

My father passed away the summer of 2017. For many years of his life, he faithfully served as an elder at a large Korean church. I still remember as a kid how happy he was in becoming an elder. His primary function as an elder was to lead and direct the choir, since he had studied music in college; so he faithfully directed the choir to sing songs of worship every Sunday for over two decades. He was also given opportunities to travel throughout parts of the world with the choir on their short-term mission trips—he enjoyed them so much! Those privileges and responsibilities given to him truly motivated him to work even more diligently, preparing Sunday after Sunday. He’d stay up for hours writing and re-writing some of the music pieces for the choir members. Of course, his pursuit of excellence and the hours and hours he put into his preparation also led to a certain set of expectations for the choir members; thus, he also become known as the “scary” elder, as he would at times yell at choir members for not performing to his high standards.

Yet, at his funeral service attended by those he had served with for many years—when it was all said and done—they gave my dad the most beautiful and honorific funeral ceremony. The present-day choir gathered to sing one of the songs that dad had written for the church. Eulogies only offered condolences, while remembering dad’s motivation for excellence when it came to worship unto the Lord: “Bring your best unto the Lord!” And that’s what he passed down to people, and also to me, one of his four sons. He didn’t have to specifically spell it out, but that’s one lesson that will be etched into my life.

Here in this passage, Jacob is gathering his sons and about to pass on his blessings to each of them. The sons would eventually become the 12 tribes of Israel, representing God’s nation on earth. Every generation is responsible for living out their faith in their own lifetime. And when it’s all said and done, it is time to gather the sons and tell them what’s to come.

What lessons of faith will you pass along to the next generation? How are you living today so that you will bless your children? Let’s strive for excellence in our pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom today. Let’s show what that looks like to our next generation of believers!

Prayer: Lord, in my own weakness, I confess that I need encouragement from You and from others in the body of Christ. I ask also that I may be empowered by Your Spirit to bring encouragement to others. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 20

March 3, Saturday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon.

Devotional Thought for Today

Genesis 50:20

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Do you like jigsaw puzzles?

My wife sometimes gets in the mood for jigsaw puzzles, so we’ll get out a 500 or a 1000 pieces puzzle set and get to work putting the picture together. You can spend hours or even days putting the puzzle together, depending on the picture. I’ve asked people their opinions on puzzles; while some feel that it is a total waste of valuable time, others enjoy the satisfaction of finding the matching pieces as they rummage through hundreds of pieces searching for that match. Our family enjoys jigsaw puzzles as our children also get involved.

As we diligently work on the puzzle, our second son will ask over and over again if he can see the cover of the box. He wants to see the final picture—sort of the answer key—to see where the random piece he’s holding fits within the bigger picture. Each time he gets a new puzzle piece, he will ask to see the cover of the box—it actually gets a bit annoying, since he asks so often.

In this well-known passage from Genesis, we are seeing the final picture of what God had already seen for years. When the brothers had sold Joseph into slavery, he had no idea where this was all heading. But Joseph worked hard for Potiphar, only to be betrayed by his wife and Joseph found himself in prison. There he interpreted dreams of two servants for Pharaoh, hoping he will be shown favor; yet, he remained forgotten until Pharaoh himself had a dream.

Joseph must have been confused about his life, wondering where any of his life’s experiences fit within the grand picture. Yet, piece by piece, the pieces of his life were being put together. There was a picture that God already had in mind, and that picture was God’s goodness for Jacob’s family to be spared during a harsh famine. (Of course, we discover further in OT that God was building a nation from Jacob’s family within the safety of Egyptian empire.)

Our God sees the cover of the box. He has a final picture in mind. It is actually given to us in Revelation 21-22. All of creation is moving towards the New Heaven and the New Earth. That picture is the cover picture of the jigsaw puzzle. The experiences we live through in life might at times feel random. In fact, it’s difficult to figure out just where it belongs in the bigger picture. It was confusing for Joseph, since what his brothers did to him was truly evil. However, God saw a good and complete picture that would be displayed at the end.

Brothers and sisters, although some of our life experiences may seem random, confusing, and painful, let us trust that our good God already has the final picture in mind. One day, we can see how none of our days were wasted but meant for God’s good purposes.

Prayer: Lord, help me to fear You and honor You. Allow me to live a life of integrity that goes beyond the minimum requirements. Please reveal Your glory in my life more fully, so that I will respond with honor to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 18-19