“My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.”
There are lots of people in this world who are pretty darn good at doing evil. Career criminals, mafia members—and who can forget Dr. Evil, who actually spent six years in evil medical school perfecting his craft, all have certain forms of evil down to a science.
Now, you may be reading this and thinking, What does this have to do with me? I don’t train in doing evil. Very well, but the question is, do you train in doing good? I believe that God’s complaint still has relevance for us today. We may not “train in evil,” per se, but we probably invest a lot more of ourselves in training in the ways of the world as opposed to the ways of God. We agonize over finding the perfect job—one that perfectly “fits me”—yet, we are lax and nonchalant about discovering our spiritual gifts or our role in serving His church. We know how to get what we want from others, but don’t take the time to figure out what they need or how we can help them. We are experts in finance, maximizing our IRAs and 401Ks, yet we don’t have the slightest clue how to turn God’s ten talents into ten more for the Kingdom.
“Doing good” takes training—it doesn’t just happen—at least not in an earth-changing, Kingdom-expanding way. Are you investing so as to know how to “abound in good works” (2 Corinthians 9:8)?
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to be proactive about learning how to do as much “good” as I possibly can in this life. I want to be innocent as a dove, but also shrewd as a snake with the time that I have. Teach me how the Kingdom works, how it grows, and how I can best serve it. Amen.
REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on April 7, 2018, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“The Son of Man Must Suffer”
Mark 8:31-33
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Did you know that Jesus is included in the Quran? In the Islam faith, Jesus is known as one of the 25 prophets of Allah. It may intrigue you to know that even the Quran describes Jesus as a virgin-conceived, benevolent, miracle-working, sinless servant of God. But there’s an interesting and critical omission regarding the life of Jesus in the Quran. See, in the Quran, Jesus is never crucified. He never suffers at the hands of the Romans, He never gets spit upon, or whipped, and He is never put to death on a cross. Why not? Well, simply put, from a Muslim point of view, Allah would never allow an innocent, sinless man to suffer in this way. Especially since He was a great man, He would never be assigned to such a fate because He did not deserve it.
Perhaps in this train of thought, Peter had come to a similar conclusion. In our passage, when Jesus began foretelling His suffering and death, Peter took offense and began to rebuke Jesus. In his mind, he could not fathom the possibility of the Messiah going through such turmoil and defeat. What kind of God would allow such suffering to happen to the Chosen One, the One He loved? But Jesus replies with what may be one of the strongest rebukes of all time: “Get behind me, Satan!” Why does Jesus respond so aggressively to Peter’s misconception? Because if you miss the death and resurrection of Jesus, you’ve missed a crucial aspect of who our God is. He is not only a benevolent, miracle-working, sinless, teacher… He also laid down, His life as a ransom for many! Without the death and resurrection of Christ, there is no hope for us, and there is no gospel.
Most people in this world acknowledge that Jesus was a good person, that His teachings hold moral value, and that He was in general, a benevolent teacher. Some may even credit Him with performing signs and wonders. But what sets Christians distinctly apart is none of the above. Then what sets a Christian apart? It is our faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. In other words, everything about our faith hinges on this one truth: that our God came and died to redeem us and rose again that we might also walk in newness of life.
It’s been six days since Easter. Let us remind ourselves again of what Jesus has done for us by going to the cross and rising up again. He gave up His own rights in order to give us the right to become sons and daughters of God. Praise be to God, whose thoughts and ways are higher than ours!
Prayer: God, thank You for who You are. Thank You that You gave yourself up on the cross. Thank You for rising again. Help us to walk in newness of life, as those who have been redeemed by You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 27, 2018, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is currently planting a church in Tokyo. Please pray for this work.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Discipline is Not Rejection”
Jeremiah 24:1–7 (ESV)
After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile from Jerusalem Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, together with the officials of Judah, the craftsmen, and the metal workers, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me this vision: behold, two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the LORD. [2] One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten. [3] And the LORD said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “Figs, the good figs very good, and the bad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.” [4] Then the word of the LORD came to me: [5] “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. [6] I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. [7] I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.
Oftentimes after I discipline one of my children they want to be close to me. I imagine they want to know that I still love them. And love is truly what biblical discipline is about. We struggle to understand this, but discipline is not the same as rejection.
After generations of unfaithfulness, God sends Judah into exile at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The Lord shows Jeremiah a vision of a basket of figs. Some were very good figs and others were very bad figs. Surprisingly, the good figs are those who are sent out of the Promised Land into exile.
While God is angry with their sin and there is an element of judgment, the Lord has not rejected His people. He is disciplining them for their good. In exile, God’s people are forced to face the ugliness of their sin and are given the opportunity to repent and turn back to God. If the people had not faced God’s judgment, they would more readily rest easy in their sins, and their hearts would grow steadily harder. But God’s desire is that His people turn back before the final Day of Judgment comes and it’s too late for them to do so.
When I was a teenager, I was in a self-inflicted downward spiral and my parents were often frustrated with me. In the midst of a lecture, my dad said, “You’re lucky we haven’t given up on you!” More so now, but even then I knew that this was true. It would have been easier for my parents to leave me alone and let me do whatever I wanted, but they kept loving me the best way they knew how.
In every hardship, God is exposing what is really inside our hearts. He does not do this because He enjoys watching us squirm, but because He intends to minister to us, set us free, and give us a heart to know Him if we will let Him. The Father is not content to let us slip away from Him without a fight.
Prayer: Father, thank You that You desire to show me mercy! Open my eyes that I might see my need and draw near to You. May I know that discipline is not rejection, and that in all things You are calling me back to You. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 29
Lunch Break Study
Read Hebrews 12:5–11 (ESV): And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,nor be weary when reproved by him.[6] For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,and chastises every son whom he receives.”[7] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Questions to Consider
In this passage, what is the mark of a child of God?
What is the heart of God in the midst of discipline?
What is meant to be the fruit of God’s discipline?
Notes
Being disciplined is the mark of truly being a child of God. Only illegitimate children are not disciplined.
God does not discipline us because He is fed up with us. Rather, He disciplines us because of His great love for us.
God’s discipline is meant to produce holiness and the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
Evening Reflection
Reflect on your day. What moments of discipline occurred? Were you able to respond in repentance and faith? If so, thank God for this outpouring of grace. If not, take a moment to repent and seek God’s face now and thank Him that grace is available to you still.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on August 15, 2018, is provided by Pastor Barry Kang, the lead pastor of Symphony Church in Boston.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Who is in Control?”
Jeremiah 29:8-9
For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah has been delivering some not so great news to a people who really could have used some encouragement. The Jewish exiles in Babylon were in a city where everything—the food, culture, buildings—all screamed, “Not home”! They were in Babylon because Jerusalem had been brutally conquered and ransacked, and the temple was destroyed. The royal line of David was seemingly no more. Good news in their context might have been news that Babylon was going to be punished by God, or that they would be able to return home soon.
And as we read last week, some prophets did in fact prophesy this very thing. But God makes it very clear that the good news that they are prophesying (that they would be able to return to Jerusalem in two years) was not actually from Him.
The very enterprise of prophecy requires some assumptions: first, that there is a God who can speak to us; and second, that this God is in control. While we know this, we allow our cultural, theological biases and personal needs and ambitions to skew how we hear, read and understand the will of God. We often read what we want to read, hear what we want to hear, and see what we want to see. The Jewish exiles chose to listen to these lies, because the prophets were prophesying what the exiles wanted to hear. In turn, the prophets might have been prophesying what they thought the exiles wanted to hear. When we do that, we unconsciously put ourselves, our needs, thoughts and desires, in control.
God is quite clear—He is in control and we are not. There is good news coming for the exiles (we’ll see this later in Jeremiah 29), but it’s only truly good news if it’s actually coming from the God who is in control. False prophets tell us what we want to hear; true prophets tell us what God wants us to hear.
Prayer: Father, I want to hear truly from You. As I read Your word and spend time in prayer, I ask that I would be hearing what You want me to hear, even if it doesn’t seem like good news in that moment. Give me discernment! I want to do Your will, not mine. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 28
Lunch Break Study
Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
Questions to Consider
What does it mean “to be ready in season and out of season” to preach the word?
Looking at verse 3, what is a constant danger that people will fall into?
How does Paul encourage us to handle this challenge?
Notes
This means being ready to preach the word regardless of circumstances. Whatever we may feel we are going through, we need to be ready to preach the word, rather than to pursue teaching the things that just suits our needs or desires. As Jeremiah experienced, sometimes God’s word seem contrary to our needs, but still, we are called to preach His word, knowing that it truly is good, regardless of the season.
People often just want to hear what they want to hear. Paul says that people will surround themselves with voices that affirm everything they do. We do not like to be challenged, because it disrupts our comfort. This is a challenge for us as well. What voices are we listening to? Do we ever listen to voices that challenge us in different ways? May we become a people who humbly listen to voices that challenge us in our blind spots!
Paul says to “be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” There is a focus that is required to endure suffering. If our goal is our own comfort, we will be swayed by all voices that affirm our comfort. But when our goal is to pursue Christ, regardless of circumstance, we can endure suffering because we know that it is only temporary. We can see past the short-term pain and see the long-term joy we have with Jesus.
Evening Reflection
Do you seek to control God or are you surrendered to His ways? Is your obedience or faith at all conditional upon certain circumstances or outcomes? Let’s seek to surrender those to the Lord today!
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotion, originally posted on July 16, 2018, is provided by Cami King. Cami served as a staff at various AMI churches in the past.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Pray Because We Can!”
Jeremiah 21:1-2 (NRSV)
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, saying, 2 “Please inquire of the Lord on our behalf, for King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon is making war against us; perhaps the Lord will perform a wonderful deed for us, as he has often done, and will make him withdraw from us.”
Many of us have heard stories like this one: “A mother at our mission station died after giving birth to a premature baby. We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister. One of the girls responded. ‘Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won’t feel so lonely.’ That afternoon a large package arrived from England. The children watched eagerly as we opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, ‘If God sent that, I’m sure He also sent a doll!’ And she was right! The heavenly Father knew in advance of that child’s sincere requests, and 5 months earlier He had led a ladies’ group to include both of those specific articles.” (Dr. Helen Roseveare, mid-twentieth century missionary to the Congo)
Most of our stories of blessed times in prayer come in moments of desperation. This is likely because it’s easier to pray when we face situations which are so impossible that only a miracle can bring us through. But our passage for today reminds me of a lesson God taught me some years ago. In the Old Testament, when people needed to seek a word from the Lord they had to go to a priest or prophet who served as a mediator between them and God. In our passage for today, King Zedekiah went to Jeremiah (a prophet from the priestly line) so that Jeremiah might inquire of the Lord on behalf of the King.
Some years ago as I prepared sermons on prayer, I sought the Scriptures for the reasons they give us to pray. I found many reasons, but my favorite is this: BECAUSE WE CAN! After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the people of God no longer needed to seek God through a mediator. As believers we have access directly to the throne of God whenever we call on God and we can trust that God not only hears, but through the Holy Spirit, that God also responds. I like to imagine how utterly mind-boggling this truth was for believers in the early church who had never had this kind of access to the presence of God before.
We have precious access to God when we pray. May we not take it for granted today.
Prayer: Gracious God, thank You that You hear me when I pray to You. Thank You Jesus that I have unrestricted access because of what You did for me on the cross. Thank You Holy Spirit for dwelling with me and allowing me to hear from the heart of God every day. Lord, forgive for any times I have taken this access for granted. May I enjoy today the rich blessings that come from intimate communication with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 27
Lunch Break Study
Read Hebrews 4:14-16 (NRSV):Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested[d] as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Question to Consider
What are the two commands/exhortations given in this passage?
What are the reasons we’re able to follow these commands/exhortations?
Verse 16 tells us that the end result of the believers holding fast to their confession and boldly approaching the throne of grace is so that they may receive mercy and find grace in times of need. How does this encourage you today? What are the specific areas in your life that make you more aware of your need for grace and mercy?
Notes
“Hold fast to our confession” (v.14)—the writer of Hebrews encourages believers to persevere in their profession of faith and confidence in Christ. “Approach the throne of grace with boldness” (v. 16)—come before God boldly in prayer.
We have Jesus as our high priest—One who goes before God on our behalf and intercedes (talks to God for us). Furthermore, the One who intercedes for us is both sympathetic—He sympathizes with us in our areas of weaknesses, and holy/blameless – He was tested yet did not sin.
Personal response.
Evening Reflection
Rend Collective, a contemporary Christian worship band, wrote the song “Boldly I Approach” with Hebrews 4:16 in mind. Spend some time listening to their song of worship this evening. As you do, reflect on the great gift we have in Jesus as our high priest and the freedom He grants us to boldly approach God in prayer. https://youtu.be/4QDnVD7gu5Y Spend some time praying to God about the specific areas in your life where you need grace and mercy today.
For thus says the Lord: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament or grieve for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the Lord. 6 Both great and small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried, and no one shall lament for them or cut himself or make himself bald for them.
Ocean’s 11 is a classic movie where the lead character, Danny Ocean (George Clooney), plans out an incredible and elaborate plan to rob three different casinos in Las Vegas that share the same vault. It’s not an easy task, and he assembles a team to do so. What’s interesting is that the movie makes these characters such likeable characters that we end up rooting for them. Even though they are committing what we all believe to be a huge crime, we still want them to win in the end—that is, sympathizing for the people who are actually in the wrong. I think it’s a scary thing that filmmakers are able to manipulate our emotions to celebrate what they want us to celebrate: in this case, they want us to celebrate this heist, because the casino owner “deserves it.” Although our feelings are definitely important, they may distort our perceptions of things.
When I read passages like today’s text, I can’t help but feel sorry for Judah. Why can’t Jeremiah grieve for them? Why can’t he mourn for them? Why does God’s discipline have to seem so harsh? Do you sometimes feel like rooting against God because you feel like He is wrong? Why did He have to allow this evil to happen, or why did He have to say it like that? Our sinful nature flips our perception of God’s goodness, and we end up despising God.
I recently heard a pastor share about how airplanes typically have two altimeters (instrument to measure altitude), because what you feel isn’t always what is actually happening. I’ve never flown a plane before, but apparently, sometimes it can be so disorienting that you may feel like you’re climbing in altitude when you’re actually diving towards the ground. So the altimeters are there to tell you what is actually happening, though your feelings might tell you otherwise.
My point is this: our spiritual gauges can sometimes be wrong. Sometimes, we might call evil good, and good, evil; or we look at God, His Word, His commands, and we don’t feel like He is really for us, or that He really cares about us. We end up cheering for wickedness rather than righteousness. It’s those times where we must come before God and recalibrate—choosing to believe that He is who He says He is, a God who loves us. In this case (and in this passage), a strong-handed discipline for Judah must come, but not without a promise of restoration, which we will touch upon at the end of this week.
Prayer: Father God, I don’t always understand what You are doing. Sometimes my spiritual gauges are way off, and I just don’t understand why things happen the way they do. Even when I don’t understand, lead me in Your ways and Your truth. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 26
Lunch Break Study
Read Hebrews 12:7-11 (ESV): Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Question to Consider
1. What does this passage list as the importance of discipline?
2. What is the fruit of discipline?
3. What are ways you are currently experiencing the discipline of God?
Notes
1. Discipline is for all who are considered children. When discipline occurs, it reminds the one being disciplined that they are legitimate children (of God). Sometimes, we don’t care for the discipline, nor do we understand the reason, but we submit to the Father who disciplines for our good.
2. Discipline produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Those who have been disciplined and have experienced the fruit of discipline are not as allergic to the thought of further discipline, for they know that there is more fruit to come out of the discipline.
3. Personal response.
Evening Reflection
Think back to a time where you experienced the discipline of God. What was the fruit that came out of it? Oftentimes, we are quick to forget the good that comes out of the discipline, but as we reflect on the fruit that was produced, it causes us to welcome the discipline of God rather than to despise it.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 23, 2018, is provided by Myra Huang. A graduate of Juilliard School (B.A.) and The Manhattan School of Music (M.A.), Myra was a long-time member of The Remnant Church, where she faithfully served for many years.
Devotional Thoughts for Today
“Fear”
Ephesians 3:16-19 (NIV)
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
There are so many things we all fear: fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of loneliness, fear of uselessness, fear of not being smart. In my mind, so many of our fears point to one underlying predominant fear: the fear of not being loved.
I started piano at the age of 4, and my older brother started cello at the age of 6. We were star prodigies in our small town of Portland, Oregon. I won almost every competition I entered. You can understand how my identity became cemented in winning—or at least in being successful. My parents had a very violent and tumultuous marriage, ending up with the police at our home a few times a year; but the one thing that brought them happiness was when I did well. So I learned at an early age that if I did well, it would make my parents happy, and I would receive love. My performance became my currency to obtain love.
As a concert pianist, I am constantly struggling with the performance mentality. There’s a phrase in the business: “You’re only as good as your last performance.” That’s a lot of pressure to live up to. I have had to spend so much time in prayer surrendering my need to succeed, and to ask God to exchange my anxiety from fear of failure with the peace of knowing that I am loved just as I am. Living with such anxiety is exhausting, and eventually leads to burn out. I’m sure many of you can relate.
I am learning how to tend to my identity in Christ. I’m learning how to make a habit of sitting before God doing nothing but resting in knowing that He loves me. When I’m busy, I’m learning to release the tension of trying to prove my worth, and to rather lean on His presence and faithfulness. Much of my prayer life has changed as well. I spend more time in silence, just being with God and listening, rather than making my supplications. I am meditating on God’s love for me, not because of what I have done, but because He chose me and created me. The fruit that is born of the Spirit becomes joy and peace. Only then am I able to understand how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is, so that I may live in step with the fullness of His presence.
So, today, I invite you to a time alone with God, to contemplate on all the marvelous things He has done and continues to do to show His unconditional acceptance of us.
Prayer: Father, thank you for times of solitude, for times of slowing down, and for a life that is something more than just merely performing. Thank You for times to build into myself and the lives of others around me. Help me to spend this precious time wisely and well. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 25
Lunch Break Study
(Pastor Ryun)
Read Romans 15:7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God;Luke 15:20: “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”
Questions to Consider
Based on how the father treated the prodigal son, what does it mean that Christ has accepted us?
What is implied in the statement, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you”?
Are you struggling with this issue? Is people’s approval of your performance very important to you? Identify one or two areas where you feel the most pressure to perform, and then write out a prayer to the Lord to surrender those areas to Him.
Notes
The son had been clearly in the wrong, but his contrition or repentance was not a precondition for the father to have compassion for him and showering him with mercy (withholding the punishment he deserves).
The premise of the command for us to accept one another unconditionally is precisely because we do the opposite, meaning we treat people well when they perform (e.g., performance bonus) and not so well when they don’t. Let’s be careful to avoid doing this, especially if we are parents of small children—because they catch on fast.
Personal response.
Evening Reflection
During the business of this day, did I stop to ponder and experience God’s approval of me today, simply because I am beloved in Christ? Have I made time for resting in Him apart from any merit on my part? Spend some time reflecting on these matters and ask God for strength to feel less pressure to perform.
REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Though, first posted on March 11, 2018, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun. Mark is now serving as a staff at Radiance Christian Church in S.F.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
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.
REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time Devotional, first posted on March 24, 2018, is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Where Jesus Differs from a Baseball Announcer”
Phil. 2:6
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.
Trevor Hoffman, who played in Major League Baseball for 18 years, primarily with the San Diego Padres, was an incredible relief pitcher who saved more than 600 games. In 1998, Hoffman was at his best, with a near-perfect save percentage of 98%. So it was long overdue that he was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame this year.
Ironically, 1998—the year of his dominance—was also the year the world witnessed his imperfection. In the World Series, pitching to Yankees player Scott Brosius—a hitter who had struggled that season with a batting average around .200—Hoffman gave up a home run that ultimately won the game for New York.
A commentator later analyzed Hoffman’s failure, saying: “Hoffman should have started the inning instead of entering the game with a runner already on first base. Relievers don’t mind cleaning up their own messes, but not someone else’s.” That statement stunned me. You see, in the 1970s and 1980s, top relief pitchers were frequently brought into high-risk situations—runners on base, close games—to bail their teams out of potentially disastrous innings. That’s why they were called “Top Firemen”—they were tasked with “putting out the fire.”
Upon hearing that remark, I was reminded of my college roommate from years ago. At the time, six of us lived in a cramped two-bedroom apartment, meaning dirty dishes often piled up in the sink. One Sunday night, I told my roommate it was his turn to do the dishes. (I was frustrated—I had been doing them all the time!) There were enough dirty dishes and pots to take at least 15-20 minutes to wash, yet my roommate returned to our room just a few minutes later. I asked, “Done already?” He gleefully responded, “Yes.” Feeling skeptical, I went to the kitchen to check. The first thing I saw was a stack of still-dirty dishes. It quickly became clear—he had only washed the dishes he personally used that week. He had probably spent more time identifying his dishes than actually cleaning them.
But isn’t this the same philosophy as that commentator’s baseball analysis? “I don’t mind cleaning up my own mess, but I won’t clean up someone else’s.”
If Christ had that mindset, we would all be heading to hell.
People, don’t be selfish! Clean up someone else’s mess, too. Paul teaches us: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves—not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).
So “have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Though He was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God as something to be grasped. Instead, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5-8).
Prayer: Dear God, change my perspective so that nothing seems too messy or inconvenient for me to lend a hand, especially if it means helping someone know the love of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on August 1, 2018. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“What Makes Dad Mad?”
Jeremiah 25:37-38
The peaceful meadows will be laid waste because of the fierce anger of the Lord. 38 Like a lion he will leave his lair, and their land will become desolate because of the sword of the oppressor and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.
While I was mostly a goody-two-shoes child growing up, I still got in trouble quite a bit. Normally, my mom gave me an earful, while my dad was the good-natured Good Cop. Oh, but woe to me on the day that I provoked my dad to anger! I remember this happening twice, both times when I talked back extremely rudely to my mom—the one thing he could not stand. The spanking that ensued on those occasions was a very effective way to indicate that disrespect was one of the greatest offenses in our home. These punishments didn’t cure my impertinence, but you can bet I was more careful because I knew what made him mad.
While I admire how my parents raised me, I felt strange choosing to share this story because, in the church, we rarely value anger, especially God’s anger. However, the majority of Jeremiah’s prophecies warn about wrath and the punishment that all are headed for as they continue in rebellion. Anger, at its core, is the emotion that indicates what we are passionate about or wish to protect. From God’s reaction, we learn how He is fiercely passionate about His holiness and whether it is reflected by His creation.
As believers, we often live in blissful ignorance of the offensiveness of our sins against God. Of course, we live by His grace because Jesus has already paid for every sin. However, to increase our appreciation for what Christ has done, today let’s take some time to think over our actions and whether they are in-line with our Father in Heaven. We should remember how holy and pure our God is and find ourselves still far from His perfection. And therefore, we can find ourselves more thankful and amazed by the love of Christ that would compel Him to take the Father’s wrath on our behalf.
Let’s not skip over the long passages about God’s anger as we keep reading Jeremiah but be reminded of God’s great mercy for believers. His fury against sin is justified and fearsome – but every punishment has already been paid on Christ. Today, let’s not take the shed blood of Christ lightly but rather rejoice and give thanks for His sacrifice!
Prayer: Father, I am in awe of Your holiness and amazed that You would send Your Son to atone for my sins. Make me humble to remember how Your anger was settled by Christ on my behalf. Give me a thankful, grateful spirit for Your love once more, and help me to live in freedom, now that all my debts are paid! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today:Ezekiel 21
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 John 1:5-10: This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Questions to Consider
Verse 6 says that if we walk in the darkness but claim to have fellowship with God, then we are lying. What does this mean?
John both exhorts us to walk in the light but also encourages us to admit that we have sins. How do we reconcile the two?
Having observed that admitting sin and walking in the light are part and parcel, let’s set aside some time for confession and repentance—changing our walk so that it aligns with His.
Notes
To “walk in darkness” would be impossible if we truly had fellowship with God, for a holy God cannot abide with unholy creatures. If we are closely joined with Him, then we would walk the path of holiness and purity with Him. Walking in the light is an action taken in faith that we have exchanged our old nature of darkness with the new nature of light through Christ. Purposely choosing to walk in darkness would be to reject the fullness of life that God has given us.
While the two sentiments seem to be at odds, the passage captures the ongoing process of sanctification, as we are perfect but still being made holy (Hebrews 10:14). Confession is an ongoing process of both recognizing our sin and wielding His power to walk in the light with Him. We may not walk in the light perfectly, but as we stay close to Him, we can walk in the light victoriously.
Personal reflection.
Evening Reflection
Has it occurred to you recently that an aspect of how you are living may grieve and trouble God? Let’s not take that revelation as condemnation, but quickly turn to Him to be reminded by the depth of unconditional forgiveness available to us. Let’s commit our steps tomorrow to Him so that we can live lives that please Him.
