June 26, Thursday

Todays’ AMI Quiet Time is written by Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Winning isn’t Everything; It’s the Only Thing. No, There Is Something More Important.”

1 Corinthians 6:7b-8:

Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? But, instead, one brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers.

Upon witnessing Serena Williams’s outburst during the U.S. Open Finals, I caught a glimpse of what I must look like during my own episodes. The major difference, of course, was that Serena’s meltdown unfolded before the watching world—mine occurred before my wife and kids. Like Serena, I often felt that my anger—even my rage—had a just cause. But the Holy Spirit is never far from my ears, reminding me first: “Man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:20); and second: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror” (1 Cor. 13:12). In other words, my anger was often rooted in a limited, distorted view of what really happened. I saw only what I wanted to see—enough to make myself right in the eyes of my family. Perhaps that played a part in Serena’s implosion, too. But life doesn’t have to be lived that way. “Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing,” some say—but it doesn’t have to be our mantra. We can choose to place compassion and decency above the need to win—whether in marriage or on the tennis court.

In 1995, Pete Sampras faced Jim Courier, a longtime friend, in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Sampras’s coach, Bill Gullickson, had just suffered his third stroke and returned to the States before the match. Grief-stricken and visibly shaken, Sampras began losing badly. Then, from the crowd, a voice called out, “Win one for your coach!” Sampras broke down and started to cry. Courier, instead of capitalizing on the moment to secure a victory and move one step closer to millions in prize money, paused. He delayed his serve, allowing Sampras time to regain composure. Then he called out, “Are you all right, Pete? We can finish this thing tomorrow!” In that moment, it no longer mattered who won—compassion had won over the mantra of ruthless competition.

Paul addresses the Corinthian believers who were suing one another over financial matters, saying, “And this in front of believers… Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” (1 Cor. 6:6–7). Why? So that “God’s name [is not] blasphemed among the [unbelievers] because of you” (Rom. 2:24). If a tennis player can display that kind of compassion despite the stakes, how much more should Christians—who live with souls in eternal balance—extend mercy for Christ’s sake?

I don’t condemn Serena. I’ve stood where she stood. So maybe I’d say: “Serena, there is peace—not in another championship, but in the forgiveness that God offers in Christ.” And perhaps, as I’ve had to do so many times with my wife and children, you might consider saying, “It’s my bad; that’s on me. I apologize.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to live in harmony with others, being sympathetic and loving toward my brothers and sisters, as well as being compassionate and humble. Lord, help me not to pay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing (1 Pet. 3:8-9), for that’s what You did for me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 36

Lunch Break Study (by HeeJung Lee)

Read Colossians 3:14-17: “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Questions to Consider

What type of conversations do you find yourself engaged in these days?
How much do you find yourself despising all that is wrong and being attracted to whatever is good, noble, pure, and lovely?
Are you ruled by your feelings and your own will, or do you submit to the Word of God in your daily choices of thought, attitudes, and will?

Notes

Scriptures tell us that out of the abundance of the heart of the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Doing an inventory of your words and conversations is a good start to getting a gauge on what is dwelling in your heart and how you are doing spiritually.
Love is not a good deed. Love, as explained in the Scriptures, is one’s nature—a way of being that is the compelling motive behind deeds and actions. Love is drawn to all that is upright, pure, and promotes the well being of others. If this is not the operation of your thoughts and heart, then you may be needing to first be filled up with God’s love for you so that you are not living out of an orphan spirit trying to gain His approval by outward acts of righteousness. You are already approved by God because of Christ’s righteousness in you. His desire is for you to be filled up in the knowledge of His love for you first, and then you will be able to overflow His love to others. All unhealthiness of the heart needs to be addressed first so that this can happen.
The ways of flesh oppose the ways of the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). The more we incline to self lordship, the less we are being filled with God’s love. Then we will find it difficult to see and feel as God does because we will grieve the Holy Spirit in us. The more we submit to the Word of God, it becomes easier to think and make choices that are in obedience to God’s commands. We will be more filled with the Holy Spirit and able to walk in His nature.

Evening Reflection

We began the day by considering the heart of love and how it is drawn to all that is good and right. In light of this meditation, how did you find your heart operating today?

June 25, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by an anonymous writer, was first posted on September 19, 2018.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Through Thick and Thin”

Jeremiah 37:11-21

Now when the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh’s army, 12 Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his portion there among the people. 13 When he was at the Benjamin Gate, a sentry there named Irijah the son of Shelemiah, son of Hananiah, seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans.” 14 And Jeremiah said, “It is a lie; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans.” But Irijah would not listen to him, and seized Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. 15 And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison. 16 When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells and remained there many days, 17 King Zedekiah sent for him and received him. The king questioned him secretly in his house and said, “Is there any word from the Lord?” Jeremiah said, “There is.” Then he said, “You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.” 18 Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, “What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison? 19 Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land’? 20 Now hear, please, O my lord the king: let my humble plea come before you and do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, lest I die there.” 21 So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard. And a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers’ street, until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

We live in a world of ideas. Whether at school, work or church, one will most certainly encounter someone expressing their ideas. However, one of the many critiques set against this age of ideas is society’s growing inability to discuss ideas without becoming combative. Timothy Muehlhoff of Biola University once lamented how we now live in what he calls the “argument culture.” Interestingly enough, I don’t believe we’ve only recently entered the argument culture. Mankind has been fighting over ideas for quite some time, from current socio-political issues to biblical times. Sometimes debates over ideas have been civil, while others have not. In extreme cases, people have even experienced violence for expressing themselves. In fact, the further back in time one goes, the more violence over ideas one would expect to see. The prophet Jeremiah, for example, was imprisoned and beaten for faithfully expressing the Word of God.

In the passage above we see Jeremiah make his way to the land of Benjamin to claim property. When Jeremiah reaches the gate, the captain, Irijah, accuses Jeremiah of defecting to the Chaldeans. Several years prior to this, Jeremiah had been preaching the word he’d received from God, warning Israel of the coming destruction of the city (Jer. 21:9 [NASB]). Irijah probably concluded that Jeremiah’s message stood against the best interests of Benjamin. Because of this, despite Jeremiah’s denials, Jeremiah is arrested and imprisoned without trial. Pausing here in the narrative, I can’t help but wonder how often the message of the gospel is deduced to be against the best interest of the people, especially here in California. The reality of the current cultural climate is sometimes troubling to reflect on. How often do I sweep my convictions aside, succumbing to social pressure? In Pastor Josh’s words, “How often do we [I] live as if God didn’t exist?” Do I have the strength to go to prison for the gospel? Or to the grave?

As the passage progresses, things do not improve for Jeremiah. He is brought from the prison, in secret, before King Zedekiah and asked, “Is there a word from the LORD?” (Jer. 37:17 [NASB]). Now it’s obvious, Zedekiah isn’t asking for the actual word of God, rather, for some favorable news regarding the kingdom. Sometimes I ask myself what makes someone a hero. Generally, a hero is someone admired for their courage or accomplishments, or perhaps both. Unflinching, Jeremiah looks into the eyes of the king, and delivers God’s message exactly as revealed: “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon!” (Jer. 37:17 [NASB]). What makes someone a hero? Standing in the face of the authorities that threaten you with prison and death, and holding firm to God’s word. I hope we can all look to God for the strength to follow Jeremiah’s example. Let’s stand hand-in-hand together for God’s word, holding steadfast to the Truth, speaking it to the world in love.

Prayer: Father, it’s easy for me to be strong and stand up for You in church, around brothers and sisters in Christ, and in my quiet time alone with You. It becomes much more complicated when I fear for my job, my freedom, my safety or even meaningless things, like social status. I pray You would remind Your church every day, that in You we find the resolve to stand up for the Truth. We need You more and more each day. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 35

Lunch Break Study

Read: 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;” (NASB)

Questions to Consider

What did Paul’s “course” look like?
What would “finishing the course” look like in today’s day and age?
Reflect on this passage and consider what “finishing the course” would look like in your own life.

Notes

Paul went from high social status as a Pharisee, to (what the pagans considered) a persecuted “cult leader” as he traveled all over to spread the gospel and plant churches. Like the rest of the apostles, Paul endured beatings, imprisonment, torture and ultimately death for the sake of Christ, all with complete confidence in his convictions and commitment to God. Paul, like Jeremiah and the others God has called for His work, sets a shining example for the church to follow.
Though the difficulties we experience may take many forms, finishing the course in modern times may look much the same as the past: looking to God for the strength to stand beside brothers and sisters in Christ for the sake of the gospel.
Personal response. For me, I want to ultimately serve full time in ministry. I’m not sure exactly how that will manifest, or where in the world my service will take me, but I simply hope I can faithfully serve God and His people, until my days are spent.

Evening Reflection

According to Pastor Peter of Kairos Church, the verse most taken out of context in the Bible may be Phil. 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Time after time this verse is cited when we haven’t trained quite as hard as we should have for the upcoming Spartan race. However in the context of standing firm for the gospel, Paul’s words are quite relevant. Reflect on the idea of finding strength to endure in God, and what that means for you.

June 24 Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on October 16, 2018. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Jeremiah 46:1-6

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations. 2 About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: 3 “Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle! 4 Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your armor 5 Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down and have fled in haste; they look not back—terror on every side!” declares the Lord. 6 “The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphrates they have stumbled and fallen.”

In today’s passage, we see the Egyptian empire fighting for its life as they prepare themselves for war against the up and coming Babylonian army. Verses 3-4 illustrate in vivid language the Egyptian’s frenzied preparations for battle. You can almost feel the army’s desperate attempt to muster up as much energy as possible in order to defeat the oncoming threat of the Babylonians. However, immediately in verses 5-6, we see that all their strategizing was for naught. They were surrounded by “terror on every side” and could not escape from the clutches of the enemy. They were doomed to destruction.

It is an interesting passage, to the say the least. Prophets like Jeremiah were commissioned to speak on behalf of God specifically to Israel. However, we see Jeremiah also proclaiming judgment and predicting the fate of foreign super powers. What passages like this were meant to do was to show that God was not just God of Israel but the supreme ruler of the entire world—that it was not the powerful empires like the Egyptians who controlled history, but it was God Himself. No matter how much they tried to survive, we see God using the Babylonians as an instrument to destroy them. They were merely at the mercy of God’s plans.

Simply put, God is the Author of history. We might feel as though that powerful people control the fate of the world, and there is not much we can do to change its course to something more hopeful. But we see in this passage that God is in control. As I read through the news, and see all the evil and injustice that runs rampant, this passage—in some strange way—gives me comfort. In many ways, it feels as though the world has gone mad, divided as ever, but we know that God is sovereign, and that there is purpose to the chaos we experience in the world. Although it is so easy to feel hopeless in the face of the evil, let us as Christians find hope in the God who is the true Author of history! Let us, as believers, pray for the world to be healed in all of its brokenness, in spite of all the terrible things we’ve witnessed.

Prayer: Father, in the midst of the problems I see in the world, it is so easy to become hopeless and give up being the light to a broken world. Help me to find hope in the truth that You are in control, and that Your plan of redemption will ultimately prevail over all things. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 34

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 1:15-20

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Questions to Consider

How and why were things in heaven and earth created?
What are the two main roles we see attributed to Jesus in this passage?
How might this passage comfort you?

Notes

All things were created by Christ and they were all created for Him. What this implies is that Jesus is in control of everything—from the point of creation, to their ultimate purpose. He is the Author of all things. However, not only has He created and given them their ultimate purpose, He is the one that sustains all things.
The first half of the passage (vv.15-17), we see Christ as the Creator. The second half of the passage (vv.18-20), we see Him as the Reconciler, who makes peace by His work on the cross.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

“New creation itself has begun, they are saying, and will be completed. Jesus is ruling over that new creation and making it happen through the witness of his church. ‘The ruler of this world’ has been overthrown; the powers of the world have been led behind Jesus’s triumphal procession as a beaten, bedraggled rabble. And that is how God is becoming king on earth as in heaven. That is the truth the gospels are eager to tell us.”— N.T. Wright

June 23, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, which was first posted on June 20, 2018, is provided by a writer who wants to remain anonymous.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Breaking Bad Habits”

Jeremiah 14:10

Thus says the LORD concerning this people: “They have loved to wander thus; they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.”

In a 2015 Ted Talk called “A Simple Way to Break a Bad Habit,” psychiatrist Judson Brewer talks about the relationship between mindfulness and habit. Research shows that a habit is formed when a specific behavior makes us feel good and so our brains remember it. A habit, such as snacking or smoking, is reinforced when our brains realize we are feeling bad, so we use the behavior to feel good again. Think about the way we flip open our laptops as soon as we get home or eat junk food when we’re stressed. It isn’t surprising that research supports that we aren’t very mindful or aware of what we do, better yet, why we do them.

In today’s passage, God describes the people of Israel. Firstly, He says that they “have loved to wander…” Rather than worshipping God alone, the Israelites always ended up adopting other Canaanite gods and falling into idolatry. Perhaps the Israelites wanted the best of both worlds and reap the “blessings” of following two gods. Or maybe they genuinely thought God wouldn’t deliver them from current hardships, so they felt no choice but to turn to alternatives. Regardless, we see that their natural inclination was not to remain in God, but to wander for self-satisfaction and happiness.

Secondly, the Israelites “have not restrained their feet…” In other words, the Israelites, knowing their inclinations, did not set up restrictions to prevent themselves from wandering again. This pertains to wisdom and maturity. If we know we fall into the temptation of “X” sin, why do we not take practical and faithful measures to prevent us from falling the second, third, or fourth time? Just as research showed that we easily form mindless habits, a humble look into our past shows how we can mindlessly fall into the same patterns of sin. For example, if we know we are prone to be exclusive in friendships, are there any ways we have started being exclusive in community? Today, let’s humbly assess the patterns in our life and see how we can make them more God-centered.

Prayer: You are a good Father because You not only encourage us when we mature in faith, but You also discipline us when we sin against You. Today, we recognize that You do not ignore disobedience. Help us to remember that to love You is to obey You, so fill us with your Holy Spirit to do so.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 33

Lunch Break Study

Read Galatians 4:1-7: I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Questions to Consider

In this passage, what happens when we receive adoption as sons of God?
Sometimes we try to be better Christians merely by sinning less and doing more good things. However, the foundation of our identity is not in what we do but who we are—that is, we are already sons and daughters of God. How does that change our perspective on what it means to grow spiritually?

Notes

We receive the Holy Spirit into our hearts and experience true and mature sonship to God. We no longer experience the distance that a child heir or slave would feel to the father of a household. Instead, our new hearts cry out “Abba! Father!” in our relationships to God.
Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

One area of our lives that we can be mindless with is our speech. James 3 talks about how our tongue can worship God but also stain or discourage the body of God. Are there any ways we talk to others (or talk about others) that have been compromising? Instead, let’s turn it around and use every opportunity to bless and build up others with our words.

June 22, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Train in Evil”

Jeremiah 4:22

“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.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 32

June 21, Saturday

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.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 30-31

June 20, Friday

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.

June 19, Thursday

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, ⁹for 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!

Jume 18, Wednesday

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.

June 17, Tuesday

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Seeing Things in the Right Way”

Jeremiah 16:5-6 (ESV):

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.