June 4, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, first posted on August 8, 2018, is provided by Pastor Doug Tritton. Doug has been pastoring Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia since 2021.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Yoked Part 3 – The Yoke of Lies”

Jeremiah 27:9-11

“So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”

 When I graduated from college, I bought my first car. The dealership offered a warranty plan—and they assured me it was worth it—where I was guaranteed my money back on the warranty if no issues ever arose with the car after five years. In my naïveté, I bought the warranty; and five years later, having had no issues, I brought all my paperwork back to the dealership, and they said they’d be sending a check in 6-8 weeks. Eight weeks went by and no check. When I returned to the dealership, they said there must have been an issue, reassuring me a check was on its way.  Time went by, still no check. I kept going back and kept being given false promises, so I eventually gave up. Sadly, I was duped by a lie.

Though that is a more extreme example, we are often led astray by various lies the world throws our way: promises of happiness with certain products, promises of success with certain programs, or promises of comfort with certain vacations. Lies surround us, telling us we need to be influenced by this or that. These lies want to yoke us to something and thus influence us.

This was what was happening to the people in Jeremiah’s day. False prophets were going around selling a message of peace and comfort, a message of false hope. But the Lord saw through the lies of these prophets and told Jeremiah to warn the people about these lies. Only the Lord knew that truth, for His yoke is best. The other yokes were all lies.

Many of these lies in the world are external, but there are also internal lies we hear from our thoughts or even from the enemy. These lies tell us we are not good enough, we need to work harder or to get this or that job, we need to have the best Facebook pictures or Instagram posts, or we are incomplete without this or that person in our lives. These lies trap us and give us false promises, resulting in anxiety and hopelessness.

Just as the Lord said to the people in Jeremiah, He says to us as well: “Don’t listen to those lies!” Let’s listen to the Lord, for He knows best, as we talked about yesterday. It’s His yoke we need and nothing else, for He is our Good Shepherd.

Prayer: Lord, help me to discern the lies that I hear in the world and in my mind. Help me to hear Your voice, since You are my Shepherd who calls me by name. May I hear You and follow You, while ignoring all other voices and lies. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 11

Lunch Break Study  

Read John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Questions to Consider

  • Who are the thieves and robbers?
  • How do the sheep know to follow the Shepherd?
  • Are you able to hear the voice of the Shepherd?

Notes

  • They are those who do not enter the sheepfold by the door. These false prophets use lies to get ahead, and they try to take advantage of the sheep for their own purposes. They are not true shepherds. These are the yokes of lies we need to avoid.
  • They know His voice! This is a great promise for us. We have a God who speaks to us personally, who guides us in His ways. He searches our hearts, leads us away from grievous ways, leads us toward what we need, and restores our souls. He cares for us. This Shepherd is Jesus and He can be trusted, for He knows us and we know His voice.
  • Hearing God’s voice is an important part of the Christian life. The Bible is full of promises, like in this passage about us being able to hear God’s voice. Today, try listening for His voice. He is faithful and He speaks to us! 

Evening Reflection

Tonight, as you go to sleep, take time to quiet your soul. Our minds are often filled with lots of voices – the voices of bosses, friends, and family. Take time to surrender those voices and listen for God’s voice above it all.

June 3, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 9, 2018, is written by Tina Pham who, along with her family, is serving in E. Asia as a missionary. Tina is a graduate of Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Broken Beyond Repair”

Jeremiah 19:1-3 

Thus says the Lord, “Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jar, and take some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests. Then go out to the valley of Ben-hinnom, which is by the entrance of the potsherd gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you, and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold I am about to bring a calamity upon this place, at which the ears of everyone that hears of it will tingle. 

When I was a little girl, I checked out some of my mom’s expensive glassware that she had stored in a cabinet. I thought I was careful with handling glass, but I still managed to shatter one glass right in front her eyes.  I had broken a lot things as a curious young girl, but this one I knew was beyond repair and no longer usable. Its shattered pieces could only be swept and thrown away. In this morning’s passage, the prophet is told to purchase a clay jar, only to break it in front of Judah’s leaders (19:10) at the valley of Ben-hinnom, as a symbolic message to the nation of the Lord’s impending judgment, for they had remained stubborn and unrepentant after many warnings. Proverbs 29:1 says, “Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed–without remedy.” In speaking of Judah’s soon-to-happen exile to Babylon, Jeremiah’s prophetic act conveys that it will be a calamity in that God’s people will be “broken,”  as one breaks the potter’s clay jar and throws it into the dump.

By standing at the valley of Ben-hinnom, a location that had at that time become the “dump area” of the city, Jeremiah brings the jar there to illustrate that Judah’s exile is likened to a dishonorable vessel that the Lord is removing in His justice and righteousness. Even though this message will cause people’s ears to shudder, it provides the chance for people to hear the call to repent and to become the people who would persevere through the exile in order to rebuild Jerusalem later. The news of calamity serves the higher purpose of pointing to God as Israel’s hope. Their brokenness is beyond repair from the earthly perspective, but God can indeed restore the brokenness of Judah, as the prophet Amos declares, “In that day I will restore David’s fallen shelter—I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins—and will rebuild it as it used to be” (Amos 9:11).

Have you lost hope in an area of your life, or do you consider anything as “beyond repair”? Allow the Holy Spirit to encourage you with hope this morning that He can indeed provide restoration and newness in the area that seems beyond repair. 

Prayer: Dear Father, You are righteous and just. I confess that in the ways that I have dishonored You, I taste the consequences of my sinful ways. Yet, thank You that I can fully hope in You to restore and redeem me. Make me to be like a jar of clay that allows Your glory and power to transform me and to dwell inside of me. In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 10

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Timothy 3:19-21: Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

Questions to Consider

(1) In writing to Timothy, what is Apostle Paul’s purpose in this message?

(2) What is the importance of the statement, or seal, “The Lord knows those who are His”?

(3) How have you considered becoming “a vessel of honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work?”

Notes

(1) The background noise to Timothy’s ministry was that there were numerous false teachers who have indulged themselves in quarrels over words (2:14), godless chatter (2:16), and whose false teachings (i.e. the denial of resurrection) have spread fast—destroying the faith of some people (2:18). These teachers’ works were dishonoring to God and unfortunately had “spread like gangrene” (2:17). Therefore, Paul instructs Timothy to “present yourself to God as one approved” (2:15) and to consider the type of vessel he ought to become so that his work is honoring to God.

(2) In the time period and place that Timothy was ministering, there were influential false teachers among teachers who correctly handled the word of truth. Though the influence of false teachers seemed out of control and many of them claimed to be teachers of the Law and appeared to have authority and influence, Paul affirms that “the Lord knows those who are His.” And only the teachings that stand upon the firm foundation of God will stand.  

(3) Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Psalm 130:7-8: Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

June 2, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 23, 2018, is provided by Jennifer Kim who served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Holy Fear of God”

Jeremiah 5:20-25 

“Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah: 21 Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear: 22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. 23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away. 24 They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’ 25 Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you.”

Growing up my mother was the epitome of the Asian tiger mom: authoritative, controlling, and all about her rules. Truth be told, I grew up fearing my mother out of apprehension of how she would dictate my life if I went against her ways. And thus, I got good grades in fear that she’d send me to more after school programs, I never argued back in fear that she would scold me, and I stayed home when asked in fear that she would never let me hang out with my friends. While it would take me years to understand that it was my mother’s love for me that compelled her, my fear certainly instilled in me the need to do what was right.

In today’s passage, God declares the descendants of Jacob as foolish and senseless people for their failure to fear the Lord. In attempts to instill the fear of the Lord in them, God reminds them that He is the God who made the sands of the sea, brings rain to the crops, and assures the fruit of the harvest. In other words, God reminds the people of Judah that He is the God of the earth who creates all things, controls all things, and takes care of all things. However, it is precisely Judah’s failure to recognize who God is that leads them to a lack of fear that ultimately leads them to their apostasy.

When we fail to recognize who our God truly is—the maker of heaven and earth, and the provider and sustainer of our life—then we lose our holy awe of God and become masters over our own lives. While I may not have had the right motives for obeying my mother when I was younger, my fear in knowing I was at the mercy of her words and decisions led me to obedience. When I matured and saw my mother’s deep love for me that led her to parent in the only way she knew how, I was not only able to obey but to submit. When we see God in light of His power and Lordship, alongside His unending love for us that compelled Him to the cross, then our only response is to turn from our ways and worship the King of all kings.

In light of this, let’s take time today to reflect on whether we are living a life in holy fear of God. When we recognize God’s magnificent work and love for us, then our response is to surrender the idols and sins of our life to worship the God who makes all things work for the good of those who love Him. May we be people who have a healthy fear of the Lord that compels us to a life of love, obedience, and worship.

Prayer: God, how amazing and majestic are Your ways. I pray that You would fill me with holy reverence as I reflect on Your power, glory, and love. Thank You for all that You are and all that You do. In Jesus’ name.  Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 9:10-12:The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. 12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

Questions to Consider

  • What does this passage say is the foundation for wisdom?
  • How can we begin to have a holy fear of God?
  • What promise is given to us when we live a life of wisdom?

Notes

  • The foundation to true wisdom is fear of the Lord.
  • By filling ourselves up with the knowledge of the Holy One.
  • God promises to increase the years of our life.

Evening Reflection

Today we spoke on the fear of the Lord that leads us to the ways of reverence, obedience, and worship. Take time to reflect on the things that you have been filling your life with that have not been of the Holy One. Only the knowledge and understanding of Christ can lead us to true wisdom while all other types of learning simply lead to information. What are some ways you can develop your knowledge of God that you may fear the Lord and walk in the ways of righteousness?

June 1, Sunday

NEW Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is provided by Charmer Pratt. Charmer, a longtime member of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia, has served faithfully in the welcoming ministry since 2016.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“It Starts in the Heart” 

Exodus 32:1-6 

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”  2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”  5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry. 

This is a story that many of us are familiar with, and if you’re not, I highly recommend reading Exodus 32 in its entirety. It tells the story of the golden calf—how Israel turned to idolatry after forty days of not seeing Moses return from the summit of Mount Sinai. As a result of this blasphemous act, the Lord punished Israel in three ways: drinking the golden dust of the powdered calf (v. 20), a mass slaughter among the people (v. 27-28), and a plague (v. 35).

However, Israel’s blasphemy began well before a single gold earring was handed to Aaron to craft the idol. Let’s examine verse 1 to see what the people of Israel said to Aaron: “Come, make us gods who will go before us.” Here, they ask for multiple gods—an unmistakable sign of the polytheistic influence they absorbed from Egypt. In essence, they seek to be like the very nation that their true God had just defeated. In other words, God alone is not enough for them, and they feel compelled to look elsewhere. “As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt…” This is the clearest example of their blasphemy. It was God who delivered them from Egypt, yet they credit Moses with the work that belongs to Him. “…we don’t know what has happened to him.” They disregard the last thing they were told. In Exodus 24:14, Moses instructs the elders to wait for his and Joshua’s return—mirroring what God told Moses in verse 12. 

It is profoundly disrespectful to turn to the world for wisdom that only God can provide, to attribute His works to a mere man, and to forget His words. No wonder Israel faced these three severe punishments! But if we’re honest, haven’t we all been guilty of these sins at some point?  Thankfully, redemption is always possible. Even in the wilderness, God extended mercy and used Israel mightily to build the tabernacle (see Exodus 35–36).  

Have you found yourself growing impatient with the Lord, seeking fulfillment outside of Him, crediting others for His work, or forgetting the last thing He told you? Turn back to Him—He is always ready to restore you.

Prayer: Lord, I’m sorry for the ways in which I’ve blasphemed Your Name. Thank You for always providing a path for redemption no matter how far I stray from You. Please fill me with love for You so that I don’t forget Your words, give anyone else credit for Your works, or look to another for wisdom only You provide. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 8

May 31, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on March 3, 2018, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon, who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Final Picture”

Genesis 50:20

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

Do you like jigsaw puzzles? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 6-7

May 30, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 11, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Yoon. David, a graduate of California Baptist University and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is serving at Tapestry LA Church as its executive pastor. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Backsliding”

Jeremiah 2:23-25

“How can you say, ‘I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’?  Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done—a restless young camel running here and there, 24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her. 25 Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.’” 

My family had many pets during my childhood years. We had turtles, finches, dogs, hamsters, rabbits and the list goes on. As a child, I was somewhat traumatized when I saw my dog mounting other dogs, or my gerbils chasing and “tagging” each other. If you have ever worked with horses or visited a ranch and seen a stallion in heat, you know exactly what vivid figures God is using to awaken His people to where they are. Animals were given a different kind of sexuality from humans, but it helps us see how we look when we start to lust after everything that comes along or chase any thrill or drive other than God Himself. 

Judah had no desire to give up its gods in spite of God’s warnings of the consequences that would come. Among all of Judah’s wrongdoings, their denial of not being unclean or not chasing after Baals is preposterous. Their inability to abandon idols meant denying the freedom that God has given them. Therefore, God tells His people, “This is what you’re like” and uses the imagery of an animal in heat, eager to be satisfied. It must have been a clear message to the people of Judah.

In Jeremiah 2:19 (NIV), it says, “‘Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,’ declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.” Are you backsliding in your life today? Backsliding comes as a gradual process. It may begin with a general feeling of spiritual indifference as we fail to focus on spiritual things but on fleshly desires. It is not over a day or week that our hearts turn into stone, but months and even years that our hearts begin to callous and grow cold to the working of the Holy Spirit. In light of this, reflect on the cross, and be reminded of the love Christ demonstrated for us through His death and resurrection. 

Prayer: Father God, I praise You today for Your mercies are new every morning. Help me to see the desires of my heart and give me the strength and courage to fight and turn away from the idols in my heart. My desire is to love and worship You with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 22:31-34: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

Luke 22:60-62: But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

Questions to Consider

  • How did Peter’s pride affect his backsliding? 
  • With what expression do you believe Jesus was looking at Peter?
  • Peter went out and wept bitterly. What might have this meant for Peter?

Notes

  • Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”
  • Jesus prayed for Peter and for his faith to not fail. He tells Peter to strengthen his brothers when he has turned his heart back to Him.
  • A commentator once wrote, “The tears that Peter cries are the sorrowful, anguished tears of a broken man who has committed a great sin against the Lord, but they are also the tears that mark the beginning of Peter’s journey toward restoration” 

Evening Reflection

Our emotions are an important expression of the desires in our hearts. When we are not aware of our emotions and the desires that underlie them, our idols can gain strength and power in our lives. Reflect on the feelings you experienced during the day. What is God saying through these feelings? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to something that God wants you to pay a bit more attention to.

May 29, Thursday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 8, 2018.  Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Your God is Too Small”

Jeremiah 10:5-7

“Their idolsare like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good. 6 There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you.” 

In Your God is too Small, J.B. Philips describes the inadequate conceptions Christians have of God. Here are a few that he mentions: resident policeman—God has simply become a moral conscience that tells us what’s good and bad for us; parental hangover—God is a projection of our relationship with our parents; and grand old man—God is an old man much like our grandpa who is irrelevant and distant to us. Philips notes how these misconceptions unconsciously affect not only the way we see God, but also how we respond to Him. In summary, these misconceptions have made our God too small.

And so what’s at stake here? When our conception of God becomes too small, our naturally prone-to-wander hearts begin to make other gods bigger than they really are. This was the case of the Israelites in our passage today. They began turning to the idols of other nations. Idols, in which Jeremiah compares to that of a scarecrow—lifeless and powerless, always promise more than they can offer. Such lifeless idols produce lifeless faith. Timothy Keller describes idols as “anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” And to this, Jeremiah points our attention to the true nature of who God is: incomparable, great and mighty, feared among the nations, living and everlasting, the only true God for eternity. 

King David probably held the title as the most successful king conquering nation after nation and leading the Israelites into prosperity and power. Yet even in the midst of all these accomplishments, Psalm 27:4 shows that his greatest desire was to gaze upon the beauty of the 

Lord. It was God’s surpassing greatness that captured David’s heart to worship and be a man after God’s own heart. It was what prevented him from turning to such lifeless idols and kept his gazed fixed upon the Lord. Start this morning reflecting on how great our God is. Before our requests for the day or even our confessions, start with adoring Him. There is none like our God!

Prayer: Father, there is none like You. Reveal the idols in my heart; forgive me that I have made them more important than You. More than anything in this world, help me to gaze upon Your beauty. I pray that You would take all of me and use it for Your glory. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 4

Lunch Break Study 

Read John 4:21-26 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Questions to Consider

  • How does Jesus redefine worship?
  • What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? 
  • How should this change the way we worship Him? 

Notes

  • Contextually, both the Samaritans and Jews placed a high emphasis on the place of worship: the Jews concluded Jerusalem was the place, while the Samaritans believed the place to be Mount Gerizim. But Jesus redefines worship to be less about the where, but more importantly about the who; in other words, worship is less about the external factors influenced by customs and traditions, but more about the heart. 
  • First, this is the type of worship the Father is looking for. Matt Chandler describes spirit and truth as worship coming from inflamed hearts and informed minds: our minds are informed and set on the revealed Word of God and the Spirit’s presence inflames our hearts. John Piper says this: “The fuel of worship is the grand truth of a gracious and sovereign God; the fire that makes the fuel burn white hot is the quickening of the Holy Spirit; the furnace made alive and warm by the flame of truth is our renewed spirit; and the resulting heat of our affections is worship, pushing its way out in tears, confessions, prayers, praises, acclamations, lifting of hands, bowing low, and obedient lives.” 
  • Personal response. Worship is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey.

Evening Reflection

Spend a few moments meditating on the following verses:

“ Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.” – Isaiah 40:26

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17

“In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.” – Psalm 95:4

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” – 1 Chronicles 29:11

When we see something great, we can’t help but be in utter awe of it, whether it’s a person or a part of nature. It affects us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Sometimes, there is even a physical response that occurs. In the same way our worship is always a response to His greatness. As we meditate on these verses, allow worship to flow from our hearts. 

May 28, Wednesday 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 25, 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

“The Defining Moment” 

Jeremiah 23:7-8 (ESV) 

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ [8] but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”   

For everyone, there are defining moments in our lives that are essential to who we are.  For Spider-Man, being bitten by a radioactive spider was a defining moment.  For Queen Elsa, realizing the power of love was a defining moment.  For the nation of Israel, the Exodus from Egypt was a defining moment.   

The Exodus is the moment when they were freed from generations of slavery.  This is when they become God’s people and His holy nation.  At every Passover each year, Israel remembers, first, God sparing His people from the angel of death, second, Pharaoh finally releasing them, and third, marching through the Red Sea to freedom.  Israel remembers the Lord as the one who “brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.”   

But here, the Lord says they will no longer know Him as the God who brought them up out of Egypt, but as the God who gathered His people from the nations to which He had scattered them.   

For the Israelites, the exile is the greatest tragedy possible.  Their sins have been exposed. They have been judged by the Lord.  They find that they are more sinful than they ever imagined.  They may wonder if they are still God’s people at all.  And what they find is that God is far more gracious and compassionate than they ever imagined. 

For Christians, receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for the first time is a defining moment.  We have been brought from death to life.  We are a new creation.  We have gone from being children of the devil to children of God.  This is incredible, but it is not the only defining moment in a Christian’s life. 

After we become Christians, we are not perfect, not even close.  In some ways, we are worse. How so?  For though we know that Jesus gave His life to save us from sin and death, we still find ourselves betraying Him and pursuing sin nonetheless.  If we allow the Spirit to speak to us we find that our love for Jesus turns out to be far more fragile and self-serving than we could ever imagine; but with this realization comes the truth that the unconditional love of the Father for us is far deeper and more faithful than we could ever ask. 

Prayer: Father, thank You that You love me after all these years.  You have proven Your love time and time again, yet I still doubt and am so easily led astray.  Thank You that You are patient and kind, and You continue to walk with me.  23. 

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 3 

Lunch Break Study 

Read Hosea 14:1–7 (ESV): Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.[2] Take with you wordsand return to the LORD; 

say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls 

the vows of our lips. [3] Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, ‘Our God,’ to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy.” [4] I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them. [5] I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon; [6] his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon. [7] They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.  

Questions to Consider 

  • In this passage, how have God’s people turned away from Him? 
  • Who calls Israel to return to the Lord? 
  • If the people repent and turn back to God, what will He do? 

Notes 

  • They have not fulfilled their vows (v. 2); they have looked to Assyria for salvation; they have worshiped idols; and they have not cared for the orphan (v. 3). 
  • God’s prophet Hosea does, but Hosea speaks on behalf of the Lord so the Lord, the one who has been offended, actually calls the people back to Himself. 
  • He will heal their apostasy (repair their faith), love them (v. 4), and give them new life and growth (v. 5-7). 

Evening Reflection 

Reflect on your day.  Did God give you fresh appreciation of His love?  Did God give you fresh conviction of your sin?  Ask Him for eyes to see His kindness in such a way that it would lead you to repent of your lack of love for Him and ask for a greater devotion to Jesus Christ. 

May 27, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on March 21, 2018.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Trilemma of Jesus

Mark 3:31-35

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers[c] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.

If I came to you and claimed I can throw a baseball over 150 mph, you might say, “Nice try, but that’s not funny.” If I can back to you the next day and made the same claim, you might think, there is something seriously wrong with me. If I followed up next day with the same statement without a hint of humor, you will have to conclude I am flat out lying, or there is something mentally wrong with me, or quite unlikely, I might be the god of baseball.  

This is right where the Jesus’ family is finding themselves. They hear the way he teaches, and they are beyond disbelief. Why does Jesus constantly make such outrageous claims, like, “I’ve always existed, I created the world. I’m the ultimate reality. I’ll return at the end of time and your eternal destiny will depend on your relationship to me.” You have to assume he was lying or he is insane or maybe telling the truth. 

This was CS Lewis’ famous “trilemma” argument. Lewis says, “the one thing you can’t say about Jesus was that he was a good man, a moral man or a trustworthy leader, because as soon as he claimed to be God, He eliminated Himself from that category, because good people, wise, sensible people don’t go around saying, they are God.”  He’s right. Jesus is either God to be worshipped or he’s a mad man, or a con man. We can’t reduce him to a harmless teacher who goes around saying nice things about loving and forgiving each other. Jesus didn’t give us that option. 

Let us remember that Jesus isn’t from India, with over two million gods; he’s among Jews, who are fiercely monotheistic, who believed in a God who is infinitely exalted, holy and perfect; so transcendent, they dare not speak and write his name. To believe Jesus is God, this was against every fiber of their being. What was about Jesus that they were convinced? Why wasn’t he reduced to one of the hundreds of lunatics who have come and gone claiming messiahship. What makes him different from someone like Charles Manson, who is clearly proven to be a complete lunatic? 

The New Testament is written clearly to make it obvious to any reader that Jesus is not a lunatic or a liar. The mind of Jesus is most pure, perfect, with His articulations the most profound. No one ever spoke like He spoke; so pure and sublime. Nor was Jesus a liar. If he was, he would be the greatest liar of all time. I mean how did he do it? Sure, there have been other religious figures who claim to be divine or to be the Messiah, but none of them ever got a religious movement off the ground, let alone sustain it for 2,000 years, without the use of a sword or threat of death. 

Lunatics don’t heal sick ppl, raise dead ppl and drive out demons. Liars don’t speak the way Jesus spoke, with such wisdom for life. Lunatics don’t attract women and children, nor are liars marked by kindness, mercy and compassion the way Jesus was. You’re left with one option. He is who He claimed to be, that He is God. The evidence is in, virgin born, sinless life, power over the physical world, power over the spiritual world, power over creation, power over life and death. Clearly Jesus is Lord. His family, who knew him best, would ultimately see this truth. Mary remained faithful to the end and tradition tells us James was martyred for his faith in half-brother Jesus. 

CS Lewis, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, writes about how Mr. Beaver tells Susan that Aslan (the ruler of Narnia) is a great lion. Susan is surprised, since she assumed Aslan was a man. She then tells Mr. Beaver, “I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.” She asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan is safe, to which Mr. Beaver replies, “Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King.” If you’ve really met the King, he will ruin you, He will ruin your agenda, but it will be so glorious. He will ruin your career trajectory, your idea of success, your retirement plans, your careful, safe, comfortable life, he’ll ruin it all. But oh how glorious it is! 

Prayer: God, teach me to see the mind of Christ. Help me pursue Your knowledge and grow in confidence in the Bible today. Your claims are the most beautiful statements ever to be uttered on this planet. Help me to savor them and grow in them . . . In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 2

Lunch Break Study  

Read 1 Corinthians 2:14-16: “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

Questions to Consider 

1. How does the “natural” person understand the things of the Spirit of God?  

2. How do we understand the mind of the Lord?  

3. How can you grow today in having the mind of Christ?    

Notes

1. The natural man cannot understand because they are not able to discern spiritually.  

2. We do it by having the mind of Christ.   

3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

Which will you heed?

“The mind that is alive chooses the spiritual rather than the fleshly. For example, take our thought life. The world sends a constant barrage of messages to us—politics, world, business, sex, sports, products, and others. God also is sending us messages, messages about His expressed will in the Bible for us, promptings about words to say or not to say, anger to control, or patience to extend.” – TW Hunt 

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (Jn. 10:27). 

Heed the voice of the Lord.

May 26, Monday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, which was first posted on June 18, 2018, is provided by a writer who wants to remain anonymous. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Give Ear”

Jeremiah 13:15-17

Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the LORD has spoken. 16 Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness. 17 But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

In my Introductory Greek class, we learned the Greek alphabet during the first week of school. I remember quickly memorizing all 24 letters and then moving on to homework that was actually due. When exam time came along, our T.A. told us to make sure we knew the Greek alphabet, and I happily checked it off the list of things I didn’t need to study because I already knew them. We got our exams and, lo and behold, the last question wrote, “Spell out the entire Greek alphabet.” To no one’s surprise, I could not answer the question and lost out on ten very much needed extra credit points. I left the exam recalling my T.A.’s words and wondering why I just didn’t spend five extra minutes brushing up on the alphabet…


In our passage today, Jeremiah is preaching the same message he had been preaching all along to the people of Israel. He says, “Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the Lord has spoken…” and reinforces God’s commandments to worship Him alone. Jeremiah preaches this message for approximately 20 years until the Babylonians invade Israel as a result of Israel’s disobedience. 


The reason my T.A. re-told our class to know the Greek alphabet wasn’t because he thought we didn’t learn it the first time; it was because he knew we had forgotten it by midterm season. Only our exam results would show who had heard the heart behind my T.A.’s words. Likewise, Jeremiah prophesies repeatedly because he knows it’s what the people need to hear, and that they haven’t turned from their rebellious ways yet. He asks them to “give ear” and “not be proud” to God’s call to obedience, which seemed harsh at first, but would ultimately be life-giving. Here, the ability to hear is not based on how many times we hear something, how many services we attend, or how many devotionals we read, but it’s based on the attitude of our hearts. Today, let’s humble ourselves and give our ears and hearts to what God has been speaking in our own lives. 


Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that You always speak to us, even when we can’t or refuse to hear You. Forgive us for when we turn a deaf ear to You and speak to us again today because we are listening. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Ezekiel 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Exodus 3:14-17: Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, v“I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, land flowing with milk and honey.”’

Questions to Consider

  • God could have introduced Himself to Moses (and effectively Israel) in different ways and from different perspectives, but He chose to introduce Himself this way. Describe what He is highlighting.
  • Why do you think God says, “I have observed you and what has been done to in Egypt…”?
  • This is an important passage in the OT where God reveals Himself in a direct way. Is there anything new that you have learned about who God is, biblically?

Notes

  • God highlights the relationship with Israel He has already built as the God and faithful Deliverer of their forefathers. He is not a foreign God, but One who has been with them and cared for them since the beginning.
  • God seems to be affirming the pain and suffering Israel has endured thus far. This is powerful in our own lives because God does not ignore but affirms our own pain and suffering, whether it was caused by our own sin or not.
  • Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Was there anything you felt like you’ve been ignoring or forgotten about that God re-highlighted today? Many times, we forget how to hear His voice because it feels like we have to face this life alone. Let’s remember this is not the case and that God has been working in our lives from the beginning and align our hearts to His voice and leadership, again.