The AMI QT Devotionals from June 12-18 are written by Pastor Andrew Kim at Tapestry Church. Andrew, a graduate of Eternity Bible College, is currently attending Fuller Theological Seminary. He and Jessie were married in 2014.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
Revelation 7:13-17
Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
In the early 1900’s, there was great optimism about where the world was headed. Many believed that through the ingenuity and creativity of human beings, it was only a matter of time before a utopian society would be ushered in. However, this optimism was short-lived. In a matter of a few decades, two world wars had devastated the world, leaving countries in ruins and people in a state of shock. Instead of seeing the human potential to cultivate a world defined by welfare, people experienced the human potential for destruction. With millions dead, it was clear that the world was not getting better. Ironically, humanity’s endeavor to resolve the world’s most profound issues led to the bloodiest century known to man. It seems that we have always attempted to usher in a perfect world, to find effective solutions to man’s ills, and bring lasting change. But because of sin, this has been an impossible task. All of man’s attempts have fallen short and the world is still filled with strife.
One of the most profound truths we find in the book of Revelation is that God is also at work to bring about lasting change. But unlike us, the promise of renewal is guaranteed to come to pass. It is not a matter of if but a matter of when. Here in Revelation 7, we see a glimpse of what the future holds for those who belong to God. There will be a day where there are no more tears and no more hunger. You see, this vision was a source of encouragement for the recipients of this letter. As the early church attempted to build a world reflecting the values of the kingdom, it was a difficult task. At times, it would have seemed pointless and too daunting to continue in this journey. However, the vision of Revelation promises that their work and perseverance will not be in vain; that not even death could undermine the value of their toil. In the end, they will be brought to a place where they will find true rest, where there will be no more thirst and be led to springs of living water. Let us take time to reflect on this vision and find a reenergizing hope to help us to continue to fight the good fight of faith, because in the end, it will not go in vain!
Prayer: Father, I confess that it is difficult to live out the calling you have given to all of us. At times, it seems that our hard work for your kingdom does not make a difference and it can be discouraging. But this morning, we invite You to fill our hearts with a future hope that gives us a renewed sense of energy for the work before us. May my life be marked by a perseverance and faithfulness when it comes to the work of your kingdom, knowing in the end, the world you desire will come to pass. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Romans 14
nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
Throughout the book of Revelation, there are interludes that occur between descriptions of God’s judgment that are meant to console the persecuted Christians. Here in our passage for today, we find ourselves at the first interlude. As the opened seals reveal the wrath of God, chapter 6 ends with a piercing question that chapter 7 answers: “Who can stand before the divine judgment?” We find the answer in verse 3. The only ones who will not be harmed will be those who are sealed by God. In ancient times, seals were used by kings to designate those who belonged to them. Other religions used seals as a marker of devotion to their gods. Similarly, those who are sealed by God are those who belong to Him. Later on we find out that the seal is given to those who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb. In other words, those who have believed upon the gospel are the only ones who are able to withstand the judgment of God.
Recently, a bus full of Coptic Christians were killed for their faith as they were on their way to a monastery. At least 28 died and 25 wounded. Among the dead were two small girls who were 2 and 4. This is just one tragic example of the persecution that many Christians face throughout the world. In fact, 900,000 Christians have been martyred for their faith in the last 10 year, making it one of the most violent eras for the church. It is a sobering reminder that following Christ is not for the fainthearted—there is a cost to be paid, sometimes even with our very lives. Many of us in the West are often shielded from this reality, since the worst thing that can happen to us is a moment of embarrassment. Sometimes we think that violent persecutions are a thing of the past, but many of our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are paying tremendous cost for their testimony to God.
The AMI QT Devotionals from June 12-18 are written by Pastor Andrew Kim at Tapestry Church. Andrew, a graduate of Eternity Bible College, is currently attending Fuller Theological Seminary. He and Jessie were married in 2014.
The 60’s were marked by a profound social consciousness. People genuinely cared for the welfare of society and participated in movements of justice. It was the decade of the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s rights, and protests against the Vietnam War. However, there was a dramatic shift in culture in the 70’s. It was no longer focused on culture-wide issues but rather on the self. Historians have dubbed the 70’s the “ME Decade.” It was the era of personal development and self-discovery. As the “individual” began to assert itself, it gave rise to a radical personal autonomy where the “self” became king. Life began to be about self-expression, about being able to choose one’s own destiny. And this trend has continued and we all feel its effects even today. All of us desire to determine the course of our lives—we demand freedom from all authority outside of ourselves. However, this has not turned out well as people are emptier than ever before. Many have discovered that reigning over their own lives has not led to more happiness but rather a deep sense of restlessness and confusion.
During one of the most challenging times of my life, I discovered that singing worship songs could be a powerful exercise of faith. As I struggled to remain steadfast with my heart full of doubts, it was difficult to sing lyrics that proclaimed the hope of God. Everything around me just seemed like evidence that proved my doubts, making it almost impossible to sing the words on the screen with full conviction. Yet as I worshipped and praised God with words that I did not fully believe, God began to turn my heart towards His hope. I found that in the simple act of bringing my doubts before Him and singing with the small amount of conviction I possessed, He met me where I was, helping me to believe in the words before me. Singing worship songs became a new reservoir of strength and power that I could now draw from. I would not have persevered without it.
Power is a precious commodity, especially in these strange times. We live in a turbulent cultural climate where political extremism, terrorism, and ideological wars run rampant throughout the world. And as tensions rise across political and racial lines, various groups have attempted to push their agendas through a show of power—whether in the form of violence or by slandering the “other.” The more power you have, the more you’re able to undermine your enemies. Power is also used in a similar manner on a micro scale. We often use the power we’ve gained from our education, socioeconomic status, and experience in order to gain a step ahead of our competition—to build up our own resumes and get us one step closer to fulfilling the American Dream. We have images of powerful CEO’s, executives, and political figures who line their own pockets at the expense of those less fortunate. For these reasons, power is often associated with abuse. As a result, the idea of power comes with much baggage, since it often manifests itself in forms that leave at least one party broken and destroyed.
A pastor friend once shared with me that his new year’s resolution was to limit himself from using the phrase “That’s awesome!” He realized the essence of something awesome is that it brings incredible awe—and this should be reserved for God. Instead of saying “That’s awesome” at regular news, such as finding parking at Disneyland on the weekend within the first minute of arriving, buying electronics devices at big sales, or just any news that he hears from people throughout the day, he resolved to only use the word “awesome” to when he ponders about and describes God—because only God’s presence and majesty is full of awe. Everything else is just good, cool, or nice, but only God is worthy of being deemed awesome, and nothing and no one is as AWE-some as God.
“The one who overcomes” is a repeated phrase throughout Jesus’ letters to the seven churches in Revelation. He speaks to each church about its spiritual condition and calls them to overcome every challenge by faith. Becoming an overcomer is God’s call for every believer. The closing of Jesus’ words to the church at Laodicea helps us to see how He coaches Christians to overcome spiritual lows, whether it be apathy, complacency, pride, hopelessness, or unbelief. As the best athletes and finest scholars in the world receive the best quality training in order to have victory, the Christian is trained to overcome and to live victoriously when he or she receives training from Jesus Christ.
Did you know that God’s desire for you is to become rich? He wills for you to have abundance. The trap that prevents us from experiencing the richness and wealth that God envisions for us is our spiritual blindness to what true wealth really looks like.