The AMI QT Devotionals from June 19-25 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles). He is married to Christina.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
Revelation 8:6-13
And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them. 7 The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, 9 and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. 11 The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. 12 The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way. 13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
I have a confession: I’ve been taking this three-week intensive course on Jonathan 
Edwards (think Great Awakening time, where they spoke English in such a way that even people familiar with Old English wouldn’t have fully understood); lectures Monday through Thursday, 8:30-12:30PM, about 100 pages of reading every night. I promise I’m not sitting here complaining, but with ministry and what not, I got pretty behind on things. And when our midterm paper was due on Monday, I was nowhere close to being ready. So what did I do? I prepared a heartfelt, apologetic speech to ask my professor for an extension. And lo and behold, he granted it—what a nice guy!
I’m not sure where you were the last time you were in school, but in today’s sensibilities, it’s almost expected that these things happen; and it’s almost expected that we can ask and receive an extension (perhaps it’s more of a millennial mindset). It’s almost shocking if an extension is not given. And I wonder if this kind of sensibility seeps into our spirituality as well.
If you remember from yesterday’s passage, we are introduced to this group of seven angels who are given trumpets. Then we see the angel pouring out the fire from the altar onto earth which results in thunder, rumbling, lightning and an earthquake. Now, the Scripture gives no reference to how long the interval between these events and the events of the passage we read today is, but we see that there is a time of preparation before the seven trumpets are blown. And what unfolds is horrific—an eagle that has a birds-eye view of all the events cries out, “Woe, woe, woe!” And this isn’t even the end of it. The eagle directs our attention to the three trumpets that have not been blown yet.
Foretelling of such events that points to the judgment and wrath that will come upon those who are unrepentant are probably parts of Scripture that we are tempted to skip over or not give too much thought. In fact, it is this very instinct that caused people to write off hell as a reality of those who do not repent. However, the Bible is very clear that there will come a judgment day, and some will face the wrath of a perfectly just God. But this also tells us of God’s perfect timing according to His perfect wisdom. And despite those of us who have assurance of salvation in Christ Jesus, passages like this must direct our attention to those around us who do not have the same kind of assurance. Brothers and sisters—there will be a judgment day. But until that happens, may your hearts be drawn to compassion for those who draws compassion from our Heavenly Father.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of salvation, freely given by grace. Thank You for the assurance I have in You. But Father, I recognize that there are many people around me who do not know You as their heavenly Father. I ask that You would break my heart for them. Pour out Your Holy Spirit that I may have eyes to see and ears to hear how You are at work around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Romans 16
Lunch Break Study
Read Matthew 25:1-13: Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Questions to Consider
- Compare the virgins who are deemed as foolish and those that are deemed as prudent/wise. What do you think is the biggest difference between those who were foolish and those who were wise?
- What is the inevitable reality of this passage?
- Reflecting on this parable, how does this challenge your perception on life? How does it challenge your perception of those around you who do not know the Lord?
Notes
- Jesus compares the two by those who are prepared and those who are not. Despite how we may normally perceive this story, when you look closely at verse 3, it’s not so much that the foolish ran out of oil; they never brought any to begin with. The wise, however, knew exactly what they needed for this journey.
- I think there are several inevitabilities that are at play here: (1) The virgins in the passage all have a lamp and are awaiting the bridegroom. In other words, when we extrapolate the parable, this passage teaches us that everybody is awaiting a savior, whether we recognize it or not. (2) The Bridegroom will come, that is, Jesus will return one day. And (3) there will come a moment where the door will be shut. Therefore, the warning for us is to be on the alert.
- Personal response.
Evening Reflection
C.S. Lewis, in his sermon “The Weight of Glory,” reveals to the congregation the insurmountable glory that God has poured out upon us, the incredible beauty that we are to possess as His creation. The challenge given by Lewis is to not only see ourselves as these vessels, but to look upon others with the same kind of potential awe. Upon reflection today, how has the Holy Spirit challenged your perspective on those around you, especially those who may not know Christ? Spend some time covering each individual in prayer by name.
The AMI QT Devotionals from June 19-25 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles). He is married to Christina. 
In the passage today, we see the final seal being broken open by the Lamb. Every time a seal is broken, we’ve seen since chapter 6 an outpouring of God’s judgment upon earth. But this final one is different from the other ones. We see the participation of the saints’ prayers in the unfolding of the events that follow. Commentator Leon Morris points out how the prayers of the saints rise with the incense to God out of the angel’s hand, suggesting that there is a sense of oneness amongst the saints and the angels of heaven. This reminds us that we are never alone in our prayers. It reminds us of the cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12 that stand testifying of God’s faithfulness. The sense is that there is a participation of the prayers of the saints in the events that unfold in God’s sovereign plan. What an incredible reality of prayer!
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.
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.