The AMI QT Devotionals from May 8-14 are provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, serves as a staff at Kairos Christian Church, while studying at Talbot School of Theology. He is married to Annie.
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
2 Corinthian 10:3-6
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
In the 1984, my father immigrated to the United States from Taiwan with my mother, to study Computer Engineering at San Jose States University—he wanted a better life for his wife and his future children. So when my father became a United States citizen in 1985, he had to give up his Taiwanese citizenship. He explained to me that while becoming a citizen had its benefits, it was also very complicated: he had to learn everything that came with becoming a citizen such as jury duty, taxes, and different business policies. Additionally, he had to adhere to the laws and rules that came with becoming a new citizen.
In this passage, Paul explains to the Corinthians that they are in a spiritual war. However, this war is not fought through the standard means of Greek philosophy and reasoning; rather, as citizens of heaven, they must fight using a new method—the divine power of the gospel.
Paul describes in verse 5, that this stronghold-destroying process must be done in two steps: First, we must “demolish philosophies and arguments that set themselves against the knowledge of God.” However, we do not demolish simply by using counter-reasoning, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. Second, we cannot simply destroy these strongholds, but “we must take every though captive and make it obedience to Christ.” After armies destroy a fortress, they take the enemies captive, preventing them from gathering again. In the same way, as the knowledge of God demolishes strongholds, we must make them obedient to Christ, so that these thoughts do not come back.
A common spiritual battle that we fight is in the area of evangelism. Many of us have opportunities to minister to family members, co-workers, and classmates. What kind of approach do you take when it comes to sharing the gospel? Do you rely on your knowledge and experiences, or do rely on the Holy Spirit to minister to co-workers and friends?
In our society, knowledge and experience are highly regarded, putting a high premium on those who know a lot. We take this same standard and apply it to our Christian walk, especially in the area of evangelism. While apologetics and our personal experiences are important and needed, Paul reminds us that as citizens of heaven, this spiritual battle must be won through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for shedding Your blood for me. I know that I am no longer a citizen of this world, but a citizen of heaven. Therefore, the way I fight this spiritual battle is not through my own strength and reasoning, but through the power of Your Spirit. Help me to trust that You are working in those whom I am evangelizing to! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 3
LUNCH BREAK STUDY
Read Psalm 20: May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.[b]
4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. 6 Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9 Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!
Questions to Consider
- What do you notice about the psalmist’s transition from verse 1-5 and 6-9?
- Who does the Lord give victory to (vv. 8 and 7)?
- What will happen to those who trust in chariots and horses (vv. 6-8)?
Notes
- In verse 1-5, the psalmist repeats the word “may” to reveal that he hopes God can bless these situations. However, verse 6-9 transitions into promises that are for sure.
- The Lord gives victory to those who are anointed (set apart) and to those who trust in Him.
- Those who trust in chariots and horses will be brought to their knees, meaning they will perish.
EVENING REFLECTION
In light of today’s sharing, do you have co-workers, classmates, or family members whom you can evangelize to? Consider the ways you have evangelized in the past. What are some ways that you can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit more?
Last week, a deacon and I went to East Asia to serve at a retreat. Since we arrived a few days earlier, we were able to spend time with the local church leaders. During lunch time, we met with a group of leaders to hear how God was working in the church—it was a time of laughter and encouragement. But once the bill arrived at our table, we started to bicker back and forth over the bill, and each time, the church leaders would tell me, “Just accept love.” While I was frustrated with not “winning,” I was incredibly encouraged to see how eagerly they wanted to bless us with their finances.
In science, there is a process called a positive feedback loop in which a change from the normal range of function elicits a response that amplifies or enhances that change. An example is a cattle stampede. Once panic causes some cattle to start running, other cattle will find this frightening and start to run, until the general level of panic and the number of cattle running reaches its peak.
A young man wrote a love letter that included these words: “I would cross the widest ocean for you; swim the deepest river for you; scale the highest mountain for you; and crawl across the burning sands of the desert –nothing is too much for you!” Then he added this postscript: “If it doesn’t rain, I’ll be over to see you on Tuesday night.”
When meeting new people, every now and then, I hear people say to me, “Your reputation precedes you.” My usual reply—which I assume is the same for many— is something in the same vein as, “I hope it’s not alI bad,” or, “Don’t believe everything people say.” I know that the speaker basically means that he or she has previously heard about me from other people, who have made a judgment about me and passed it along to others. Whether fair or not, what others have said about you has essentially defined you—at least up to that very moment.
As a father of three children, I am no stranger to my kids arguing and fighting over fairness. In fact, with the older two, there is no greater injustice than a smaller piece of cake, one less scoop of ice cream, or one of them going to sleep ten minutes later. It must be exactly the same— always even steven.
Many of us want to serve the Lord, but we don’t always know how. We want to do the work of God’s mission or be involved with our church in ministry, but we don’t always have the time. We are torn because we find it hard to extract ourselves from the responsibility of work and family duties. Fortunately, God is greater than our limitations and He has given us multiple platforms for us to help build his Kingdom.
The AMI QT Devotionals from May 1-6 are provided by Pastor Charles Choe of Tapestry Church, Los Angeles. Charles, a graduate of UC Riverside and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Grace, and they have three children: Chloe, Noah, and Camden.
As a pastor who loves his church, I find that the most unpleasant thing about my job is having to rebuke a congregant who is in sin. I don’t like to do it, and trust me, no one likes to receive it. But as I have gotten more mature in my faith, I’ve come to realize that rebuking someone in sin—with the right motive and the right approach— is one of the most loving things anyone can do. It’s often our cowardice or fear that keeps us from pointing out the erroneous way of our brother or sister.
When I was in middle school, I was caught shoplifting some candy at a local grocery store. It was a random stranger who turned me in to the store manager. When I was confronted by the manager, I pleaded with him to let me go, that I was sorry and I would never do it again. The manager gave me a tongue lashing, but for some reason, he did not turn me over to the police. Maybe he thought it was not worth his time to report such a petty theft. But here’s the thing: I found myself shoplifting again, no more than a month after my sorrowful repentance.
Whenever I find myself wearing a shirt with a Bible verse or a church logo, I must admit, I am quite conscious of it. I am aware that when I go to play basketball or go to the mall with the church shirt on my back, whether I like it or not, I am advertising my faith or my church. I would like to think that I am going about my day in a way that can be a blessing to others, not a stumbling block.