June 8, Thursday

The AMI QT Blogs from June 5-11 are provided by Tina Hsu. Tina, a graduate of Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.) has just returned from E. Asia, where she served as a missionary for two years. Currently, she serves at Church of Southland and Kairos International University.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

“Incomparable and Personal Love of God”

Revelation 3:10-11 (ESV)

“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.”

One thing I enjoy doing in my church community is listening to older women of faith share about their spiritual markers in life. Their testimonies show me how God met them in a personal and intimate way when they faced trials and seasons of wilderness. I would also hear some share about their thoughts during seasons of waiting: “I know God will do so and so because He told me… He promised me…” I was always really encouraged and challenged by how close they were to God and how God spoke to them in such a personal way—like a father to a child. It made me desire all the more to draw close to God to hear His words and promises for my life. This is the same theme I see in the relationship between the Philadelphia church and God.

God dearly loves this church because they display enduring faithfulness to His name in the midst of persecution, seizing opportunities to proclaim His name. They are small in number but their tenacity of faith is great. God personally promises the church that He will preserve them during the hour of trial that everyone on earth will face at the end times. He will do it because He is so pleased with their faithfulness to Him. God exhorts them to finish the unique path that they have been given – “hold fast what you have” – and they will receive a crown that is specifically prepared for them.

In the Bible, there are promises of God that extend to all children of God, but there are also promises that God gives personally to certain people or a certain church—and this displays how personal our God is. His personal promise gives the hearer hope to finish well. God’s love is not likened to a loving parent who cuts a cake into equal slices so that no child will feel partiality. His love is not distributed into small pieces for each child or church; rather, His love is whole, infinite, and unique towards each person, spurring each person on to live according His perfect will and plan. What would it look like for you to pursue a relationship with God similar to that of the Philadelphians?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I praise You and thank You for Your faithfulness to me! Teach me and strengthen me to have patience endurance, that I may express my love to You through the act of perseverance. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 2

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Jeremiah 31:1-3: “At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the Lord, ‘The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

Questions to Consider

What is the historical context of this passage?
What is evident about God’s love in this passage?
In what circumstances have you experienced God’s everlasting and tangible love? Do you hunger to experience God’s everlasting love today? What hinders you?

Notes

God is speaking to Israel through the prophet Jeremiah. The people of Israel and Judah had been in exile for many years as a result of their unfaithfulness to God during the years of living in the Promised Land. God is speaking to them about His enduring faithfulness to those who looked to Him during the years of exile.
Israel experienced a greater depth of God’s love during the times of wilderness and mistakes. God’s love is unwavering and everlasting. His faithfulness is enduring because of who He is and is not shaken by our actions, whether good or bad.
Personal reflection.

EVENING REFLECTION

Before going to sleep, be reminded of this truth about our awesome and unfathomable God: “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you (Isaiah 54:10). Now, sleep on that!

June 7, Wednesday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

“The End Result Outweighs the Present Discomfort”

Revelation 3:7-9

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia… ‘I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.’”

Has anyone ever asked you, “If rejection were not a factor, how would you outwardly express your faith?” Whatever your answer may be, you would probably set out to do it with an increased boldness and steadfastness.

In this passage, God is assuring the 1^st century church in Philadelphia of His unshakable love and acceptance for them. He gave them “an open door which no one can shut.” Why was this a significant affirmation for the church?

At that time, the small congregation in Philadelphia faced great opposition from the Jews—or more specifically, people who falsely claimed themselves as Jews (v. 9). Very likely, the believers in Philadelphia were former Jews who became Christians and were rejected and ridiculed by the local Jewish synagogue because they professed that Jesus was the Messiah. God’s Spirit is reassuring them that even though the door to the synagogue is shut, the door into the messianic kingdom remains open forever. Though they were vulnerable outcasts in the eyes of their oppressors, God commends them for keeping His Word and not denying His Name publicly. Furthermore, God promises the church that He himself will show their oppressors that He has chosen the church and loves them (v. 9). One day, the oppression will end and those who attacked them before will actually “come and bow down at your feet.” This gives the church continuous boldness against harsh rejection, because they know they are on the right path with God and that their present suffering is small compared to their future reward.

Having assurance of your eternal home in God’s kingdom, how do you want to live your life in the present? How are you responding to your present hardships and discomforts? This morning, let’s ask God to give us the same faithfulness that the church at Philadelphia lived out.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, Your love and acceptance is constant and unchanging. I praise and thank You! Lord, please help me to follow the example of these believers in Philadelphia who kept Your Word and did not deny your Name in times of opposition. As You are faithful to me, help me to be a faithful witness of your Name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 1

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Isaiah 60:14-15: “The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, and all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; and they will call you the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated with no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, a joy from generation to generation.”

Questions to Consider

What is the context of this promise?
What will “the sons of those who afflicted you” notice about Israel?
What does this promise reveal to you about God?

Notes

God is telling Israel through the prophet Isaiah what will happen when they are lifted up from exile and when God restores Israel. Among the many good things to come, one thing is that the nations who treated Israel negatively will in the future treat Israel differently. God will cause this to happen.
They will recognize that Israel is the people of God, the city of the Lord. They will ascribe honor to Israel because of God, the Holy One of Israel.
Personal response.

EVENING REFLECTION

The church at Philadelphia is an example of a people who waited upon God to be exalted, to be lifted up. They followed the humility of Christ. When they were persecuted, they did not return evil with evil. They continued to acknowledge Jesus and to follow Jesus. Tonight, reflect on Jesus’ teaching in Luke 14:11: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

June 6, Tuesday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

“God’s Reward for the Faithful”

Revelation 3:4-6

“But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him heart what the Spirit says to the churches.”

One way that my family lavishes me with love is through gifts. They buy me good gifts, such as name brand handbags and nice jewelry. However, I have resolved that it is not worth it for them to gift me in this way because I am terrible at keeping nice accessories free from stains, blemishes, and tears. In my eyes, I am not worthy of such valuable products because I don’t go out of my way to steward them well. Today’s devotional talks about stewarding a much greater gift, our spiritual identity in Christ.

The Spirit is commending a few people of the church at Sardis for their faithfulness in remaining holy to the Lord. They have not “soiled their garments,” meaning they have not joined themselves to the fleshly pursuits of the world after having been united with Christ. Because their eternal walk with the Lord is of utmost value to them, they have remained pure—stewarding their relationship with God in an honorable way.

The imagery of the garment represents a person’s spiritual state. Prior to faith, every person figuratively wears “filthy garments,” which refers to life ruled by darkness and sin. When the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us fully, God places the righteousness of Christ upon us. Thus, we become newly clothed with a pure garment, representing our new identity in Christ.

The majority of believers in Sardis had “soiled their garments” by returning to an ungodly lifestyle, while clothed with religiosity. The Spirit now points to these people to call them back. He is giving everyone a call to repent and says, “He who overcomes” will again be clothed in white and will have full fellowship in God’s presence in this life and the life to come.

The garment of Christ’s righteousness is God’s most valuable gift to us. By His grace and love, He considered us worthy to receive this undeserving gift. How will we in return wear our garments in a manner worthy of God’s honor? How will we remain pure and unblemished so that we are ready to walk in white when the Lord returns?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for the gift of new life. Thank You that You have clothed me with Your righteousness. Lord, the battle to remain holy and faithful is beyond my own strength and ability. I pray that You will grant me the strength to be an overcomer. Help me to increase in my love, adoration, and obedience to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 34

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I ever knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

Questions to Consider

What is Jesus’ warning to those who claim to be His disciples?
According to Jesus, how will some people assume that they are in good standing with the Lord?
How does this passage encourage you to examine your walk with the Lord?

Notes

Everyone in Jesus’ audience at that time were among those who heard His teachings. Jesus is saying only those who hear His teachings and do them will enter the kingdom of heaven. Merely hearing does not reflect a genuine Master-follower relationship. Verse 21 is parallel to the parable right after this passage: “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Mt. 7:24).
Some people will believe that their religious acts and powers performed in Jesus’ name equate to their position in the kingdom of God. This does not necessarily mean they are in relationship with Jesus and actively doing the will of the Father.
Personal response.

EVENING REFLECTION

Philippians 1:27: “Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ…”

Our manner of life is a testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s reflect on how we can honor God in our lives this week.

June 5, Monday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

Spiritual Sleep in Sardis

Revelation 3:1-3

“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore, if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.’”

There is a well-known saying, “It’s not about how you start, it’s all about how you finish.” The Lord gave the church at Sardis a spiritual diagnosis of their church body. He gave them the frightening truth that they have a reputation of being a lively church, but they are actually a dying church. They started with fervor and passion for the Lord, but they fell into a deep spiritual slumber, no longer awake to God’s voice. For this reason, God specifically said to them, “…for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.” Those who study this passage will naturally ask, “What did these believers not complete?” One possibility is that it wasn’t like they did not fulfill a ministry or calling that the Lord specifically gave this church, but a more likely situation is that they “backslid” and became secular again in their beliefs and lifestyle. In this way, they did not finish the course of living holy to the Lord until His second coming. They were no longer living as the “pure bride” that Jesus Christ shed His blood for. This is not a church dwindling in number or failing at sustaining the “programs” of a church—from the outside they are “alive.” Yet this is a church dying in their spiritual fervor and walk with the Lord.

The voice of God came to them to awaken them, and to save them from their false illusion that they are doing well. The Spirit is calling them to once again remember what they have received freely by God’s grace, to keep walking in God’s plans, and to repent of their slumber. Most of all, He is telling them to be faithful to Him, knowing that He will return to reward them according to their faithfulness.

This morning, let’s boldly look into our hearts. Are there areas in us that are no longer awake to God’s voice? In what area is Jesus no longer the center (marriage, work, relationships, or even ministry)? In what areas of your life have you turned to look to yourself and your ambitions, instead of to God?

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I confess today that I need You to spiritually awaken me, that I may be in tune with You again and be sensitive to Your leading in my life. Help me to be aware of my weaknesses and sins, so that I may overcome them with humility and faith. Help me to be fully alive in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 33

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read 2 Timothy 4:6-8: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Questions to Consider

What do you notice about Paul’s statement about himself, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith”?
Paul says the Lord will award the crown to “all who have loved His appearing.” How does this impact how you should live today?
What has encouraged you to persevere in your faith and what hinders you personally from being faithful to God?

Notes

Serving Jesus is not necessarily about how many things you have built for the Lord and how much you have accomplished. Rather, it is about how well we have fought the spiritual battles as we did God’s work. It’s about being faithful to God through the whole course and keeping our faith. It’s about remaining steadfast and abiding in Christ.
A key mark of a faithful Christian is someone who adores and longs for the appearing of Jesus Christ above other sources of satisfaction and joy.
Personal reflection.

EVENING REFLECTION

The greatest example of someone who finished well is Jesus Christ. He completed the work that God the Father gave Him, and we are all beneficiaries of His faithfulness to the Father. Reflect on the goodness of Jesus Christ and dwell on how He is the perfector of your faith. Through Him, you can finish well.

John 19:30: Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Hebrews 12:1b-2a: Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith…

June 4, Sunday

Jennifer Kim, a graduate of Boston University, spent a year in Shanghai as one-year intern from 2013-14. She is currently serving as a staff at Catalyst Agape Church (New Jersey) while attending Alliance Theological Seminary.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

“ Criteria for Measuring Success: What is Yours?”

Matthew 8:5-13

When he had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, 6 “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.” 7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. 11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12 while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.

In today’s passage we come across a Roman centurion who pleads to Jesus to heal his servant. While there are dozens of stories in the New Testament of Jesus healing the sick, this story comes as a bit of a shock due to Jesus’s reaction. As Jesus begins to walk to the servant’s home, the centurion stops Jesus and says that he is not worthy of the Lord to come to his house, but by His words alone Jesus can heal his servant (v.8). It states that Jesus marveled at this response and proceeds to declare that there is no man in Israel with greater faith than the centurion.

After my one-year term in Shanghai, I remember returning home discouraged and defeated by what I felt like was a lack of fruit. The ministries I had invested in did not continue after I had left, and I felt that I had nothing to show for my time overseas. While we can often correlate visible fruit and sacrifice as success, in this story we see that faith and submission to the Lord is what leads Jesus to marvel.

Centurions, which means “captain of 100,” would be promoted to this position by their dedication and courage as they worked their way up the ranks; thus they were highly respected. Romans in general were known to place authority and power as a supreme virtue and would persecute anyone who would threaten their rule. For this centurion to say he is not worthy to have Jesus in his home and proclaim that His words alone can heal, he had to lower himself and take off the helmet of authority and power embedded into him as a Roman and given to Him as a commander. His faith and submission to Jesus turned him from the title of “captain of 100” to the greatest man of faith in all of Israel.

While I can assume that I would have received praises from people if I had accomplished something great in Shanghai, Jesus comforts us in saying that He has a different standard of success. His standard looks at the heart. While our culture glorifies visible fruit, let us remember that it was not the Israelites—the chosen people of God—who were deemed with great faith, but it was a soldier; and not just any soldier, but a Roman soldier, who had a faith greater than anybody in the entire nation of Israel. I want to encourage you today to take time to reflect on what you are measuring your success with. Our God is a God who honors a faithful heart. Praise the Lord that Jesus doesn’t measure our faith by our works! Let us be people of faith whom God can marvel at.

Prayer: Lord, You are the giver and producer of all things. Help me to submit to Your authority and walk faithfully in all that You ask of me. Help me to take my eyes off of visible fruit and the praises of man, and cultivate a faith that You can marvel in. Thank You for your work in my life! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 32

June 3, Saturday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

“Wasn’t It Supposed to Be the Land of Opportunity?”

Exodus 16:1-7

They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?”

Several years ago, while I was serving a one-year internship in Shanghai, I met a young college student who was enamored at the idea of living in America. She believed that the US had everything that China could not offer her, and her ultimate goal was to live and work in “the land of opportunity.” At the time, I let her know that America was not the perfect nation she imagined it to be, and that her hope should not be in this American ideal. Although nothing I said seemed to change her mind, in hindsight, I realized I couldn’t blame her for having such thoughts. This idea was precisely what brought America to be the nation that it is today—an immigrant nation filled with individuals who believed that the United States would provide the economic stability and educational resources they desired. This is precisely why my parents moved to the US as well. Despite the language barrier and their economic situation, their belief in a better life propelled them to leave everything they knew and everything that was comfortable in order to move to the land of opportunity.

Today’s passage tells about the Israelites’ journey to their land of opportunity, the Promised Land. After being set free from slavery, the Israelites begin their journey to a place described as “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exod. 3:17) in pursuit of God’s call to reside in the land promised to Abraham and his descendants in Genesis. Yet along the way, the lack of water and food lead the Israelites to grumble and cry out that death in Egypt would have been better than their current circumstances. Ultimately, they forget why they are on this journey and wish to return to their former state of slavery.

While it may be easy to criticize the Israelites, I can’t help but relate to all the times I too received a specific message from the Lord and ran with such fervor, only to find myself complaining and forgetting the promise given to me because the journey became too difficult. Oftentimes in our pursuit we lose our way as we get caught up in our struggles, and even worse, we desire to go back to what we’re used to. My parents had their fair share of difficulties while living in America as well, but what helped them persevere was remembering why they moved to the US. We are all on a journey that God has set before us, whether it’s a specific calling, vocation, or mission. Let’s take time today to reflect on where you are in this journey. If you’re struggling, remember the promises God has given you and why you are on this path in the first place. Jesus was on a journey too. His journey was to leave His throne and come into this world to bring healing and salvation to all. Let’s thank Him and remember that His plans for us are always good.

Prayer: God, thank You that Your love compelled Jesus on His journey to the cross that I may receive love and forgiveness. During the difficult times, help me to remember why I am on this journey and the promises You have declared over my life. I want to worship You in all circumstances! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 30-31

June 2, Friday

The AMI QT blogs for June 1 and 2 are provided by Mei Lan Thallman. Mei Lan is originally from Taiwan and a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.A.) in Kentucky. She is the wife of Pastor Kirt, who serves at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia). They have two children, Nate and Naomi .

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

“Legacy of Faith”

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

After becoming a Christian at age 17, the foundation of my faith was built through my college years at Asbury University. As important as the sound doctrine of faith I learned through chapel and Bible classes was, the life witnesses of countless Christian professors and missionaries, along with their wives and families, have left a profound influence upon my life. The longer I live, the deeper I treasure the legacy of faith I have received through the authenticity of their vibrant faith and faithfulness.

Although I did not grow up in a Christian home like Timothy did, with a godly grandmother and mother, God blessed me with many spiritual fathers and mothers who loved me like Paul loved Timothy. I experienced powerful love from my spiritual family and inherited a rich spiritual heritage through their lives. Tuck and Cathy, my spiritual parents who drove an hour to take me to church, discipled me in God’s word and prayer; to this day they continue to pray for me and my family on a daily basis. Dr. Gray, my Accounting Professor, exemplified an intimacy with Christ and a grace filled life; she prayed with me for years for the salvation of my family and discerning God’s will for my life. Mrs. Coppedge impacted me through her contagious and passionate desire to live wholeheartedly for Jesus. She tenderly followed the Spirit’s leading and tirelessly testified His workings in her life as a wife, mother, and women’s Bible teacher. My family strives to live by a motto we heard from her: “All of me for all of Jesus.”

Who I have become today is the result of God graciously using faithful people like them throughout my spiritual development. What I have witnessed and received from them have become my life’s passion to pass it on with the same diligence and faithfulness. That is the beauty of God’s love. Whom has God used in your faith journey thus far to encourage your walk with Christ? Let’s take some time to thank God for them. Write them a text or an email to encourage them today, by sharing with them how God has used them to spur your faith.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the wonderful people of God whom You placed in my life to mold and shape to be more like Christ. Help me to be like such people, so that I could also help those who are looking for spiritual mentors. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 29

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Hebrews 10:23-25: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Questions to consider

What is the hope we profess?
How can believers spur one another toward love and good deeds?
Who can I encourage today?

Notes

Our hope is in the person of Christ Jesus (v.21), our High Priest, based on the unfailing promise of God.
Believers hope in Christ is maintained and renewed through regular fellowship (v.23), as well as mutual encouragement through words of affirmation and love prompted by acts of service for one another.
Personal response.

EVENING REFLECTION

God desires to use your life to draw others unto Himself, just as He has used His many children in your life to point you towards Him thus far. Will you cooperate with Him by making yourself available to be used by Him in your family, school, work place, church, and neighborhood? Let us say: “Here I am, Lord Jesus, send me.”

June 1, Thursday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

For God So Loved

Genesis 22:11-14

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

At our former church in Taiwan, Kathy, an oncology nurse, was trying to live out her new-found faith in her work place; she joined her hospital’s Christian fellowship and prayed before her meals. One day a co-worker doctor approached her with this question: “I know you became a Christian recently. I like Christians, but I have a difficult time accepting the teachings of your God. Why does your God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, just to prove his allegiance to God? What kind of God does that?” As a new believer, my friend Kathy didn’t know how to answer this question, so she came to my husband and me for an answer.

So I shared with her a powerful sermon I had heard from my college president Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, addressing this very question. He talked about how the testing of Abraham was not so much for God, but it was for Abraham to settle, once and for all, with confidence and certainty, who has the supreme place in his life. Through this testing, a freedom was released in Abraham, knowing in confidence that God was his first love and greatest treasure in life.

Dr. Kinlaw pointed out that at a climatic juncture, when Abraham raised the knife to slay his beloved son, God personally called out from heaven for a dramatic intervention: “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him! Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” As this scene unfolded, there was another conversation between the Father and the Son of the Trinity: The Son turns to the Father and says, “Father, this story is a foreshadowing of what is to come, right?” Father responds, “Right, my son.” Son says, “Only, when it does happen, there would be no stopping.” There is silence as the father nods in agreement.

Our God is not a demanding, impersonal God as the doctor suggested. While God spared Abraham from sacrificing his promised son at the altar, we see in the NT that God never spared His own son Jesus from dying on the cross as a ransom to redeem sin enslaved humanity such as me and you.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for loving me so much that You gave me Your beloved precious son, Jesus to die for my sins. You gave Your all to love a helpless sinner like me, making me your very own. As your child, I desire also to love You whole heartedly in deep gratitude. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 28

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Romans 8:32-35: He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Questions to Consider

How has your life been impacted by God’s love?
Do you usually feel like God is for you or against you? Why?
Who or what is trying to separate you from the love of Christ?

Notes

Personal reflection question.
When we face adversities in life, it’s easy to question God’s love. Romans 8:34-35 reminds us that Jesus is not only with us, but He is also interceding for us and working through the difficulties for our good and for His glory.
Temptations come to all of us when we take our eyes off God. We have the tendency to turn good things—family, career, education, ministry, etc.— into an idol, when we cling tightly to these things. Let’s ask God to help us to keep our hands open and to empower us to keep Him as the center of our lives.

EVENING REFLECTION

Our Heavenly Father is trustworthy and He always has our best interest in mind. His will may not always be easy, but it’s always for our best. Let us trust and love Him whole heartedly!

May 31, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Blog is written by Joanna Tzen of Grace Covenant Church.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

Hebrews 9:23

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.

Small children always seem to want to do what their parents are doing, following them into the kitchen or the yard; that’s why toy manufacturers make kitchen and tool play sets. My friends tell me that their toddlers will mimic cleaning up or beg to help out mom and dad in the kitchen counter—even if they’re not all that helpful.

This passage in Hebrews addresses how the Israelites worshipped a shadow or a copy of reality through the tabernacle and the practices within.

The tabernacle was a place set aside for holy worship as ordained by the Lord (Exodus 40). It was the place where Moses met God; and for generations this was the holy and set apart place where the Lord met with His people. However, the author of Hebrews tells us Jesus as the Son of God was allowed to enter directly into God’s presence to intercede or make a way for us. Thus, the tabernacle and the practices are no longer needed for atonement, since Jesus is the final sacrifice—no atonement can compare and no atonement is needed again. Jesus’ sacrifice allows us to come into God’s presence as children of God, since Jesus’ blood is now applied to us and we can approach God with Jesus’ righteousness.

Yet, the Christian Jews—the audience of the book of Hebrews—were tempted to fall back into the sacrificial system. We might ask, “Why would they go back and settle for a copy when the reality had already come?” But even today, many of us can fall back into practices that we think can earn our salvation. We may not be returning to a physical tabernacle and the practices within, but we can return to other things in hopes it will bring salvation; it can be our work, school, or even church, performance. We may not realize that we’ve been unconsciously attributing our worth to our performance in these areas, instead of depending on salvation that comes from the finished work on the cross. What practices do you find yourself falling back into instead of resting in Jesus?

Prayer: Lord, show me the areas where I have returned to my ways in the past of self-sufficiency. Help me to trust You because of who You are—a gracious, compassionate and just God. I give you lordship of these areas and know that You are in control. The gospel shows me You are a good and loving Father who gave Your one and only Son for me. I trust in the sufficiency of Jesus’ blood and sacrifice and rejoice in His resurrection that gives me new life and a new identity as a child of God. Amen.”

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 25

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Isaiah 30:15: This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.16 You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’ Therefore your pursuers will be swift!

Questions to Consider

What does this passage say is the source of salvation and strength?
How do the Israelites respond to what God says in v.16?
Verse 18 states: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” What does this tell you about God’s character?”

Notes

Repentance and rest is the source of salvation; quietness and trust is the source of strength.
Instead of trusting in the Lord by being quiet and hearing from the Him, they make their own plans in human wisdom to flee.
God is gracious, compassionate, just and desires to bless us. He is not a vengeful God, giving us what we deserve—even when we disobey. He welcomes us with grace, even after our mistakes. God’s character is trustworthy.

EVENING REFLECTION

Meditate on God’s character in quietness and trust. Thank Him for being a Father who longs to be gracious to you! Romans 8:32: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things.”

May 30, Tuesday

Today’s AMI QT Blog is written by Joanna Tzen of Grace Covenant Church.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY

Hebrews 3:4

For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

My husband and I purchased a home about six months ago and, as it is about a hundred years old, there are certain quirks about it. Doors don’t always line up and close, floors are not quite level, corners are not quite right angles. That being said, there is a certain craftsmanship to it that doesn’t exist in newly built homes. Even when we wanted to replace the floor, we were told that it would be extremely difficult to match as they don’t make flooring of that size anymore. The walls are made of plaster and lathe, not drywall—a labor-intensive method to build homes that is not employed anymore. All that is to say, the credit does not belong to the house itself, but to the craftsmanship of the builders and the methods they used.

The author of Hebrews reminds his audience to look to the builder and not to the house itself. He reminds them that God is the builder and author of all things. The house is no longer the tabernacle of worship, but it is the body of believers since Jesus said we will worship in spirit and truth (Jn. 4:23); and it is no longer about where we worship, but whom we worship.

The audience of Hebrews were Jewish Christians who were still incorporating aspects of their former worship and life that were incompatible with their new faith. They relied on physical vestiges in the tabernacle that were no longer necessary in worshiping of Jesus.

So, what are we hanging on to today that is hindering our worship of Jesus? Could it be a life of former things, accolades and achievements, or praise of others? Let’s lay these things before our God, the Builder and Author of all things.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 24

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Hebrews 4:9: There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

Questions to Consider

How would you define Sabbath?
What do you make of the phrase in v.11 to “make every effort to enter that rest”?
What does this passage exhort us to do?

Notes

There is a lot of confusion in our current culture about what a Sabbath is. Sabbath is defined here as a type of heavenly rest—ceasing from striving or earning of salvation. The Bible defines Sabbath as to be quiet, still, and to trust in God.
It means to be diligent and to position yourself in the truth and impact of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
This passage exhorts us to trust God as He invites us to rest in Him. He does not want us to place our worth in striving or earning, but to know that He is the builder and He is sufficient.

EVENING REFLECTION

Lord, reveal to me where I have not trusted You and rested in You. Help me to see where I’ve been more focused on what’s being built than who the Builder is. When I see you, I see the smallness of myself and my contribution and am able to step back in wonder and awe of the One who makes everything possible. Lord, may you return a childlike heart of worship and humility to me today.