May 23, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 6, 2018, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Do, We Do, You Do”

Mark 8:1

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away.

“I do, we do, you do.” My wife is a teacher in Boston, and this is one of the phrases I hear her use all the time. If I were a teacher, the idea is that in order for me to teach something, an effective strategy is for me to first demonstrate the action while the students observe (I do). Then, I repeat the action, but this time I incorporate the participation of the students, while still being involved in the step-by-step process (we do). Finally, I pull my hands out of the process and let the students do it a third time, on their own (you do).

In our passage today, I see Jesus implementing a similar strategy. Amongst a hungry crowd of 4,000, He takes the seven loaves of bread and miraculously multiplies it while His disciples observe (I do). Then, He takes the bread and distributes it by putting it into the disciple’s hands (we do). Finally, His disciples take what the Lord has given them, and in turn distributes them to all the people (you do). And all the people ate and were satisfied.

Why did Jesus do it this way? He could have made the bread multiply and appear in everyone’s lap. Better yet, He could have made bread fall from the sky, and it would have been a much more spectacular sight. Yet, Jesus chose to use a ministry strategy that involved the participation of His disciples. This is a pattern that comes up all the time in Scripture: although God can accomplish His will on His own, time after time, He chooses to use ordinary people as instruments for doing His work. This is still true today! God’s Kingdom is advancing through His people, the Church! That means that wherever He has placed you today—whether it’s work, school, the home, or the office—you are the vehicle of God’s ministry in that place. The only difference in the “you do” phase of this is that God never pulls His hands out of the process. Instead, even as “you do” His work, He is always with us.

Prayer: Father, You are always at work, and Your Kingdom is continuously advancing around us. Help us to recognize that the various arenas that You have placed us in are opportunities for us to be involved in Your work. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Philemon 1

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:7: “…Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you…”

Acts 1:8-9: “…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Questions to Consider

According to these passages, why was it “better” for Jesus to ascend to heaven and depart from His disciples?
What did Jesus say would happen when the Holy Spirit comes?
Who is called to carry out the rest of Jesus’ mission on this earth?

Notes

I’ve always thought that being alive during Jesus’ time on earth would have been the greatest experience. And it probably was, in many ways. But here, Jesus says that it is to our advantage that He goes away to the Father, because then the Holy Spirit would come. What is this advantage? Because Jesus took on a physical body, His direct Presence was only available in one location at a time; on the other hand, the Holy Spirit is essentially the direct Presence of Christ dwelling within every believer in every location at every time! This is a brilliant strategy by our God!
Jesus says that when the Holy Spirit comes, we will receive power! What kind of power is this? In short, it’s the same power that Jesus has, because the Holy Spirit who lives within us is God!
It’s crystal clear. We, who are the bearers of God’s Holy Presence, are the ones who are called to finish the mission. Our role is to be witnesses of everything that God has done.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time thinking of the five people you spend the most time with in your week. Maybe it includes a co-worker, a roommate, or a family member. How is God working in each of these five people? How can you join in what God is working in them? Perhaps this is part of your call, to be a vehicle of God’s grace to these people that He has placed in your life.

May 22, Thursday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 7, 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

“Seeking God through Lament”

Jeremiah 19:10-11

“Then you are to break the jar in the sight of the men who accompany you and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Just so will I break this people and this city, even as one breaks a potter’s vessel, which cannot again be repaired; and they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place for burial.”

One of the wisest choices my mother made for my sister and me was she signed us up for a Divorce Care Group for kids when we were young. She told us that she did this because she was aware that we may have emotions such as anger, sadness, or disappointment that we were afraid to express to her, but she didn’t want us to harbor it in our hearts. She told us to tell it to our care group and she wouldn’t be mad about anything we said in those sessions. I remember those sessions being a safe place to share and listen, but I honestly was too young to process. However, her choice set me up well for my college years when I started to have pent up emotions about my parent’s divorce and I knew it was permissible to grieve. In fact, allowing myself to grieve and find a counselor led to a season of healing and restoration.

In this morning’s passage, God tells Jeremiah to shatter the clay jar in front of the priests and elders as an illustration of the destruction to come. As it is clay jar that has been hardened, it would break quickly, and cannot be repaired. This is the way in which God would bring judgment to Judah and Jerusalem, and those who remain alive would be taken into captivity in a foreign land.

In Psalm 137, a psalm describing the experience of exile and captivity, the psalmist cries out, “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” The period in which God’s people lived as exiles under Babylonian rule birthed a great number of psalms, known as lament psalms. Lament is something they did as a way to wonder about God’s presence in their loss and hardship, and many prophets lamented on behalf of Israel. There is a raw combination of honesty grieving before God, repenting of past sins, and seeking God’s presence in the midst of the painful experience.

We all face difficult losses and hardships, and the Bible invites us to honestly grieve and lament as a path to finding restoring hope and strength. This morning, give yourself the permission to offer God a prayer of lament or pray on behalf for someone who is going through a difficult time.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, I trust that you are faithful in all circumstances. In the dark and difficult times of my life, help me to not withdraw from you and grieve alone. Help me instead to draw near to you and pour out my sorrow before you. Even though I may not understand fully your ways and your purposes in my hardships, I ask that you strengthen me and lead me to your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 79:1-13: O God, the nations have invaded Your inheritance; They have defiled Your holy temple; They have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2 They have given the dead bodies of Your servants for food to the birds of the heavens, The flesh of Your godly ones to the beasts of the earth. 3 They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem; And there was no one to bury them. 4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors, A scoffing and derision to those around us. 5 How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy burn like fire? 6 Pour out Your wrath upon the nations which do not know You, and upon the kingdoms which do not call upon Your name. 7 For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation. 8 Do not remember the iniquities of our forefathers against us; let Your compassion come quickly to meet us, for we are brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us and forgive our sins for Your name’s sake.

10 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight, vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been shed. 11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of Your power preserve those who are doomed to die. 12 And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom. The reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord. 13 So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever;

To all generations we will tell of Your praise.

Questions to Consider

1. What kind of Psalm is Psalm 79?

2. How does God’s jealousy (vs. 5) relate to the destruction of Jerusalem?

3. How does the psalmist reason with God regarding delivering them from the ruins?

Notes

1. Psalm 79 is a lament psalm over the destruction of Jerusalem, a result of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God. The lament leads to a prayer of cry for help to God.

2. God’s jealousy is a godly jealousy. It’s a strong emotion rooted in love and righteous anger when a covenant relationship between two parties (God and Israel) is not kept faithfully. It is not like envy, which is rooted in lusting after what is not rightfully ours. Israel’s faithfulness to God is rightfully His, as He promised to be faithful to them. When Israel abandoned God, God reacted with godly jealousy. Deut. 4:23-24 says, “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the Lord your God has commanded you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

3. The psalmist pleads with God to deliver Israel “for the glory of Your name” and “for Your name’s sake.” The eternal glory of God’s name can stand alone despite circumstances. However, in ancient Near East cultures, each nation’s prosperity is directly associated with the power of the god(s) they serve. Israel’s experiences (i.e. parting of the Red Sea) testify to the nations that there is no other like the one true God. In the psalm, though God abandons Israel for righteous reasons, the psalmist pleads with Him to save them so that the nations may once again see that there is no other god compared to the God of Israel.

Evening Reflection

A prayer of lament is a form of worship to God, leading to faith and freedom. Are there any sorrows you are bearing that you have been denying in your heart? Ask the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to help you offer your sorrows to God and may the Lord give you hope through prayers of lament.

May 21, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on May 30, 2018, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Jeremiah 7.16, 27–29

“As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you. 27 “You shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 You shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept correction; truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. 29 ‘Cut off your hair and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights; for the Lord has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.’ Lamentation.

It seems as if we can’t go very long without hearing about another shooting at a school. It seems like everyday we turn on the news, we hear about tragedies overseas as well as right here in our own backyards. Every time I see a new headline, a heaviness comes upon me, wondering how much longer such things will continue.

We didn’t address it in yesterday’s quiet time, but the words of verse 16 are quite shocking to the reader. God is commanding Jeremiah to not intercede on behalf of the people. He will not be heard. The actions of Judah are so grave that God is no longer willing to listen to Jeremiah’s pleas. Furthermore, in verse 27, God tells Jeremiah that even when he speaks the words judgment from God, the people will not listen. It makes sense why Jeremiah is called the Weeping Prophet.

As I meditated on this passage and how grim everything seems, I felt the Lord speak in a surprising way. Despite commanding Jeremiah to no longer intercede on behalf of the people, God used this passage to remind me the power of intercession. We see clear example of how God responds to the pleas of His people (see Abraham’s intercession in Gen. 18; Moses’ intercession in Ex. 33) in a way that is truly remarkable and beyond our comprehension.

The call of the church is to intercede on behalf of a fallen world. The call is to intercede now before it is too late. We are called to lament the gravity of sin that continues to destroy our world now and for the future. We must lament the inaction of the church in the face of injustice and sin. God has endowed upon His children the wonderful privilege of being able to do so—to intercede on behalf of a broken world.

I am reminded of a story I heard at the School of Evangelism when I went to OTR on missions. The speaker was sharing about how he went to the Middle East, saw a man on the street, and was convicted to pray for Him. Later that day, he had a dream where God came to him and said that he was the first person to bring that man before His throne.

Whether it’s for individuals, circumstances, or this world—may we be a people who intercede and lament over things that no others may have brought before the throne of God.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the unique privilege as Your children to be able to intercede and lament over a broken world. Too often we are swept up by the things of our own lives that we forget the pain and suffering of people, especially those who do not know You. Forgive us. Open our eyes. Break our hearts. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Nehemiah 1.1-11: Now it happened in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capitol, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, and some men from Judah came; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, 6 let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father’s house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’ 10 They are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

Questions to Consider

What was happening to the people of Judah and Jerusalem?
What is Nehemiah’s immediate response? What do you notice about Nehemiah’s prayers?
Now if you read the rest of the book, we know that God uses Nehemiah greatly to restore what remains of Judah and Jerusalem. How is the example of Nehemiah, his intercession and lamentation over his people, challenging you?

Notes

Nehemiah was in Susa, the capital of the Babylonian empire. He was the cupbearer of King Artaxerxes. What he heard is the grim condition of those who had survived and returned from exile to Jerusalem. The condition of the walls of Jerusalem is significant in that the wall of a city, both practically and symbolically, represented the stability of a city—in other words, Jerusalem/Judah were in serious trouble.
Nehemiah’s immediate response is to mourn and fast, seeking the face of God, asking for discernment in such a hopeless situation. A few things to note about his prayer:
- a. He does not question the character of God. Despite what was happening, he trusts in the goodness of God.
- b. He confesses the sin of his people. He acknowledges their failure to uphold His commands.
- c. He reminds God of His promises that if His people return in repentance, he has faith that God is faithful to His words and promises
- d. He heeds to the call to action.
Personal reflection. Perhaps at the heart of our lamentation and intercession is the understanding that God may use us as the answer to our intercession. In interceding, there is an inherent obedience to however way God may answer our prayers. Are you prepared to heed that calling?

Evening Reflection

As you have gone throughout the day, being reminded of the unique calling as God’s children to intercede, what things has the Spirit brought to your remembrance? How is God calling you to pray, and perhaps, obey in light of these things? Spend some time surrendering yourself to the will of God, trusting in His goodness and faithfulness.

May 20, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on January 12, 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

“What Does It Mean to Live a Blessed Life?”

Genesis 36:1-4

Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah the daughter of Anah and the granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite; also Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, the sister of Nebaioth.Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel, and Oholibamah bore Jeush and Jalam and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

This past summer, I visited the elementary school in the countryside of Taiwan that my great-grandfather planted. The building is now a cafe restaurant but the owners kept the atmosphere and design to look like a school. I also learned he was a pianist by training, and he planted the school initially to provide music lessons for children. I loved learning about my family history and was so blessed to visit the historic place.

Learning about our own family line can be quite interesting, but learning about another person’s can seem quite irrelevant. Genesis 36 can often be overlooked because the whole chapter is a genealogy of Esau, but this genealogy can actually help us think about the meaning of a blessed life. By just scanning the chapter, you can quickly take notice of Esau’s abundance. From an earthly point of view, his life could be one to envy. Though Esau let go of his birthright and blessing, God still faithfully made him into a nation. Esau had wives, sons, daughters, land, and an abundance of livestock. Esau’s nation, Edom, grew to have chiefs and kings before Israel did. Moreover, it seems like Esau’s family didn’t struggle with barrenness, unlike his brother’s favored wife, Rachel, and the patriarch’s wives, Sarah, and Rebekah. Esau’s wives bore five sons and numerous daughters.

Despite his wealth, Esau can be characterized as having lived for what was good and conveniently available in his own eyes. He traded his birthright for a pot of red stew and married Canaanite women, which caused grief for his parents (Gen. 26:35). In a way, Esau is the image of a natural man, who navigates through life with his own strength, independence and resources, contrary to Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham, who often ran into trouble and lack, and fought to hold onto God’s promise.

Though Esau’s life seemed rather smooth and great, he definitely didn’t experience God’s faithfulness, provision, and mercy like Abraham, Isaac, and Israel did. These men experienced numerous setbacks and delayed fruit, but they are considered more blessed in that they have an abundance of God’s provision in their lives.

In light of today’s passage, ask the Lord this morning about what it looks like for you to live a blessed life in Him, and see if there is any root of envy towards others that is crippling your heart.

Prayer: Dear God, I want to live a blessed and abundant life in Jesus Christ. I confess that I get distracted by other people’s possessions and give little thanks to You for what I do have. Give me the courage to trust in Your unlimited resources and Your wisdom, instead of leaning on my self-sufficiency. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 73:1-5, 25-28: Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind. ²⁵Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Your works.

Questions to Consider

Who is the psalmist confessing and realizing?
What realization does the psalmist have at the end?
What does it look like to overcome envy and have God as the strength of your heart?

Notes

The psalmist honestly confesses that even though “God is good” to His people, his heart still became envious of those who are not God’s people because they seem to have greater prosperity and less suffering.
The psalmist realizes that the prosperity of those who do not belong to God does not end in anything eternal. At the end, their soul still perishes. For the people of God, their gain is God and eternity in heaven.
Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

One of the traits of love is that it does not envy. 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” Envy actually prevents us from loving God and loving others. Spend some time in prayer to examine your heart and ask God to help you see if envy is something that is preventing you from loving others from a pure heart.

May 19, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on August 16, 2018. A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Yoked Part 1 – We’re All Yoked”

Jeremiah 27:1-2

In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah[a] the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord. 2 Thus the Lord said to me: “Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck.”

A major pillar of modern and post-modern society is the concept of “freethought”. This viewpoint contends that an individual’s thinking should be free from authority and tradition. A person should be free to make their own choices, to determine their own futures, and to form their opinions. This value is quite evident in many movies and TV shows, in which main characters are applauded for unshackling themselves from convention and authority (think: Frozen, or really any other recent Disney movies).

However, in this world where freethought is the highest ideal, we are being blasted on all sides to yoke ourselves to something. Advertisements implore us to yoke ourselves to certain values and thus buy certain products. TV shows subconsciously yoke us to certain patterns of thought and ideas of morality. Marvel yokes us to their fictional universe, making us feel incomplete if we miss any movie they produce. TED videos persuade us to yoke ourselves to certain ideas. These different forces lead us, mold us, and influence our decisions.

The reality is that we are all yoked to something. If you’ve been wondering all along what a “yoke” is, it’s a tool used to control beasts of burden like oxen. Oxen or horses are yoked together to pull some sort of load. A yoked animal is an animal that is being influenced and led by a driver. We are all influenced and being led by something. Freeing ourselves from all yokes, while considered the highest ideal in our society, is an impossibility. Thus, rather than trying to rid ourselves of all yokes, we need to be careful to yoke ourselves to that which is best.

Jeremiah was warning the Israelites to yoke themselves to God’s plan, which surprisingly meant being yoked to Babylon. Yet, God knew what was best for the Israelites, while the Israelites were constantly being yoked to ideas or plans that they thought best. We will continue to talk about this idea of being yoked over the next few days, but for today, let’s take a careful look at our lives and ask ourselves, “To whom or to what are we yoked? Who or what is influencing us?” Invite God to search your heart as you answer this question for yourself.

Prayer: Lord, open our hearts to see the yokes that have been placed over us. Sometimes we are unaware of how we are being influenced by the ideas and values that surround us, whether co-workers or TV characters or advertisements or anything else. Help us to see these yokes so that, in removing them, we can instead take on the yoke that is best.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart!Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Questions to Consider

What is the author of this psalm asking God to do for him?
What do you think it means for God to lead us “in the way everlasting”?
Invite God to show you any “grievous way” inside of you.

Notes

The author is asking God to search his heart, to know his thoughts. This can be a dangerous prayer! God can see straight through us, even seeing things in us that we do not realize. Yet, this is a prayer that will help us to see the things that influence us away from God.
For God to lead us in the way everlasting means for God to lead us His way. Our own ways and the ways of the world are temporary since they lead to death, but God’s way is everlasting. Asking God to lead us in His way is similar to the prayer in Psalm 23, inviting God to be our shepherd – a shepherd who lovingly leads us.
A grievous way is a way that leads away from God. As mentioned earlier, this could be a yoke influencing us away from God and His plan. Continue to invite God to point out these grievous ways in our hearts.

Evening Reflection

As we continue to talk about yokes this week, ask God to prepare your heart to truly be yoked to Him. Our God desires us to be yoked to Him and to Him alone. Consciously invite God to remove all yokes that are apart from Him so that we can be ready to truly yoke ourselves to Him.

May 18, Sunday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on February 18, 2018, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is the Lead Pastor of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.

Spiritual Food for Thought for This Weekend

“Dirty Job”

Genesis 46:31-34

Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and tell Pharaoh and will say to him, ‘My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 And the men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock, and they have brought their flocks and their herds and all that they have.’ 33 When Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you shall say, ‘Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our fathers,’ in order that you may dwell in the land of Goshen, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

There used to be a TV show on the Discovery Channel called Dirty Jobs. The title gives the basic premise of the show. The host would go around the country and join actual workers for a day, doing their “dirty jobs,” jobs that were uncomfortable, hazardous, or disgusting and sometimes all of the above. Some of the examples of the dirty jobs that he did were sewer inspector, pig farming, mosquito control officer, and diaper cleaner. None of these jobs are at all appealing, but they are all necessary because someone has to do it.

If the Egyptians had TV and had their own version of Dirty Jobs, they definitely would’ve aired an episode involving shepherds. We’re told in verse 34 that “every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.” We don’t know why exactly the Egyptians so disliked shepherd, but we can guess that it was mostly due to the fact that shepherding was a dirty job. Shepherding was a tough job. It was physically taxing as shepherds were outside all day long and likely slept in tents at night, still tending their flocks. They were separated from most of the general society, outside city walls. The work of a shepherd was constant because sheep are very needy and not the brightest of animals. Shepherds had to lead the sheep to food and water, they had to defend them from predators, help them if they had fallen into a ditch, keep them away from danger. And of course the job itself was dirty because sheep aren’t exactly the fluffy and white animals that we see in children’s books; they are dirty and smelly and thus so were the shepherds. We don’t have to wonder too much about why the Egyptians despised shepherds.

When we consider how despised shepherds were, it’s amazing to think that one of the most prominent and important descriptions of who Jesus is to us is that he is our shepherd. We can understand that Jesus is our king or that Jesus is our judge. He is God so he has authority and power, and he is to be revered and honored as such. And yet, Jesus is our shepherd. What the Scriptures tell us is that Jesus took on the dirtiest and toughest job and it didn’t just last for one day. He leads us, his flock, from danger and to food and water. He helps us when we fall down. He attends to our needs. Jesus himself got “dirty” when he took our sin on the cross and he was despised by humanity and separated from God. Jesus is the good shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep.

This Lord’s Day, let us remember our great shepherd who loves us and did the toughest and dirtiest job imaginable so that we could be with him.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being the good shepherd who laid down is life for us. You have come into the messiness of my life to show me your love for me. Thank you Jesus for your amazing love and care for me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 6

May 17, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 9, 2018, is provided by Andy Kim who is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. Andy is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

Jeremiah 10:23-24

“I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. 24 Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.”

If you were to ask me in college what my future plans were, I could’ve offered you my 5 year, 10 year, and maybe even my 15 year plans; and each plan had milestones to track my progress.

And so, it wasn’t surprising that I’d have such a hard time accepting my call into ministry. More than giving up financial security and a stable career, or even my well thought out plans, the most difficult part was giving up control. It meant allowing God to redirect all of my life, not just the parts I wanted Him to. For many of us, this is why the call to surrender can be so difficult.

Jeremiah reminds us in our passage a timeless truth about allowing God to direct our steps. It was clear that every time the Israelites followed their own plans, destruction awaited them. Only when they obeyed and followed God’s leading, did they prosper and live under His blessings. Jeremiah confesses their inability to direct their lives apart from God and the need for God’s intervention. Where does this leave us in our plans? Proverbs 16:3 teaches us to “commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.” God doesn’t condemn us for making plans, because oftentimes our plans may be good. But the heart of this passage teaches us that first and foremost, we must be committed to the Lord. Our hearts, our motivations, and our lives must be fully committed to Him. May we give God complete control over the direction and destination of our plans. May we be open to God’s redirection, knowing that it is always for our better.

Spend a few moments reflecting on the areas you struggle to give God control. It may be the last thing you want to do, but it is the necessary first step in living by faith. Take some practical steps today as symbolic acts of giving up control. Maybe for some of us it’s turning off our cell phones for a few hours; maybe it’s leaving a chunk of our day unplanned and simply open to be spontaneous with God; or maybe it’s allowing others to do some of the work. Whatever it may be, know that He is in complete control.

Prayer: Father, I thank You for Your plans of redemption and salvation. Your plans have always been to bless me so that I could live a life according to Your calling, not my own. I know that You work for the good of those who love You. Help me to trust in Your wisdom and not my own. I commit all of my plans to You and submit my life to You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 4-5

May 16, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 2, 2018, is provided by Rebecca Wong, who, at that time, was serving as a staff at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Family Feuds”

Genesis 50:18-21

His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said. 19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

What is the first word you associate with the word “dysfunctional”? Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be a glitching laptop, a broken zipper, or even a failing organ. I think most people would think of either “family” or “relationship.” Never in the history of mankind has there ever been a “perfect family”—and I think each and every one of us can personally attest to this. We can even see dysfunctional families all throughout the Bible: Adam and his wife playing the blame game right at the beginning of time, their son killing his own brother, Abraham’s family tree of adultery, lies, deceit, and betrayal, and David and his sons targeting each other for the throne—just to name a few of the big ones.

While I hope none of us can relate to any of those extreme cases, family feuds happen to all of us and can be some of the hardest to deal with. But I’ve noticed that in Genesis in particular, a lifetime of family drama amazingly ends in some form of resolution. It’s no fireworks or happily ever after, but over time, we see brothers coming together, reunited by some kind of external factor, which is often the burial of their father. Perhaps this is an indication of that time’s cultural norm, but I think it can also set an example for how we can learn to deal with our own family conflicts. In Genesis 50, after Joseph and his brothers bury their father, they seem to follow this trend and reach the “happy ending” of the story. But reality isn’t so grand. People don’t change so quickly, and out of fear and mistrust, Joseph’s brothers lie to him to save their skin. However, what really stands out is Joseph’s response. I don’t know if he was fooled by their lies or simply chose to overlook it, but he counters their fear with love. He calmly points out how God used their mistreatment of him for the good of their whole family in the end, and even goes above and beyond, promising to “provide for [them] and [their] children” (Gen. 50:21).

Sometimes it might feel easier just to cut people out of our lives—and once in a while, it actually might be necessary. However, rather than giving up on people, perhaps we can take a step away from the situation and simply appreciate how God is working, despite the messiness and the drama. And with our eyes fixed on His goodness, perhaps we can gain a new perspective on a situation that hasn’t seemed to change, and seek to coat others in love and generosity.

Prayer: Father, I ask for harmony in my family and relationships. Please give me supernatural patience, that I can be more like You and show generous love when people don’t deserve it, for You do this and more for me every day. Thank You for being so good even in difficult situations. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 3:31-35: Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Questions to Consider

Why did Jesus seem to ignore His family?
How can we measure our priorities?

Notes

Jesus didn’t cut ties with His family. He makes sure His mother is cared for after His death (John 19:26-27). But in this particular passage, Jesus knew it was necessary to draw boundaries. His mission was to do the work of His heavenly Father, and when His earthly family got in the way of that, even going so far as to say He was out of His mind (Mark 3:21), He had to firmly and clearly draw the line.
Jesus used His family’s confrontation as a teaching point. He reshaped the worldly view of family values to point to the bigger scheme of God’s work. As believers, we are all now part of the family of God, and this is where our priorities should lie. It’s not that we should ignore or disrespect our parents, but if they get in the way of our obedience to God, we must draw the line and make sure to put God first.

Evening Reflection

Take some time to think about those things that aren’t “sinful” in your life yet might be distracting you from a fuller life dedicated to God: it could be idle entertainment, your career goals, or family pressure. Lift it up to God and ask Him to work in your heart and relieve you of your attachments to these things, so that as you give it up to Him, He can use you for the betterment of yourself and His kingdom.

May 15, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 15, 2018, is provided by Joanna Tzen, a friend of AMI, who attended and served at Grace Covenant Church (UC) for a long time.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Waiting”

Luke 2:25

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,you may now dismiss your servant in peace. 30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”

Waiting is a part of life, whether it’s as simple as waiting for the bus or waiting for God to move in a particular area of our lives. Simeon was waiting to see the Messiah in his lifetime. This passage tells us he was righteous, devout, and filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit moved him to visit the temple courts where he saw Jesus. Verse 29 tells us Simeon was a patient man. He was an old man ready to go home to the Lord was waiting for his time to come. Once he saw Jesus, his purpose was fulfilled.

Have you ever waited with such purpose as Simeon did? I know when I find myself waiting, I get impatient, sometimes borderline hopeless, if I have waited for what I feel like is a long time. It’s easy for me to lose focus on what I am waiting for.

I currently find myself in a very different kind of waiting season. My husband and I are expecting our first child in April. There is a sense of purpose and expectancy, along with a lot of trepidation, but also joy! It’s a different kind of waiting because there is a due date in sight, but there is still the uncertainty of how life will change after the waiting ends.

I’ve often thought about prayer as birthing something into the spiritual realm. It requires waiting and trusting in God. As I count down the days until my child’s birth, I’m thinking about how my own spiritual birthing experience has prepared me to depend on God in a similar way.

Is God working in your life right now through a season of waiting? If so, how is He calling you to display the trust and focus that Simeon had in his life as he waited for the Messiah?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me first (1 Jn. 4:19) when I was completely unlovable. Forgive me for the things I have put before You and trusting in others more than I trust You. Remind me of Your faithfulness. Thank you that You never let me go. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Lam. 3:24-6: I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;therefore I will wait for him.”25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;26 it is good to wait quietlyfor the salvation of the Lord.

Questions to Consider

What does it mean in verse 24 where Jeremiah says, “The Lord is my portion”?

Why does this allow Jeremiah to wait?

What can be learned while waiting? Do you recall what Abraham learned about himself while waiting for the Lord to deliver on His promise 25 years after it was made (Gn. 12:4, 21:5)?

Notes

This refers to the territories that the tribes of Israel had. The Levites did not have a territory and the Lord was their portion. Jeremiah understands, in the same way, that the Lord is enough for him. The Lord is his security and his provision, much more so than anything that is physical.

Knowing that the Lord is his portion, allows Jeremiah to wait because he trusts in who the Lord is. He knows the Lord is good (v. 25) and he keeps His promises. This hope (v. 25) allows Jeremiah to wait quietly (v. 26) upon the Lord.

Abraham tries to fulfill God’s promise through his own human strategy: first, after waiting for 10 years he simply assumes that his servant Eliezar would be his inheritor (Gn. 15:2-3); then later he marries another woman who gives birth to Ishmael whom God rejects as the fulfillment of the promise (Gn. 21:10). What does this show about Abraham, the so-called the father of faith? No one has an unwavering great faith in God; that is to say, if we are to have great faith in Him, it will be the result of falling on our faces many times because of our lack of patience while waiting on God. As God was gracious to Abraham whenever he felt short, thereby never abrogating the promise made to him, it is through God’s infinite grace that we learn to trust Him and His goodness.

Evening Reflection

Lord, thank You that You walk with us in every season, particularly in times of waiting. The truth is that all of our waiting pales in comparison to waiting for Jesus. Fortunately for us, Jesus is already here. In every moment of waiting, may we have much joy and peace, because we understand the Messiah has already promised and secured for us our greatest need—a relationship with the Heavenly Father that can never be broken.

May 14, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s devotional, updated in 2018, is a revised version of what I first wrote in 1998, when my children were eight, five, and one year old

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Meaning of Raising Three Little Munchkins”

1 John 4:20-21

If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God.

As all parents know, raising children is hard work. Perhaps that’s one reason some choose not to have kids. But, of course, they are missing out—although what I’m about to share probably won’t change their minds! One of the most difficult aspects of parenting, at least for me, is the persistent feeling of guilt. Children inevitably make mistakes, and as parents, we often wrestle with how to respond.

I vividly remember telling one of our kids, “If you treat others the way you treated your sibling today, you could end up in jail one day!” Now, nearly twenty years later, I don’t even recall what my child did. If it had been such a serious offense, wouldn’t I remember it? Perhaps I overreacted. Ironically, just a few days later, I reprimanded the previously offended sibling for saying something cruel to the one who had offended days earlier—though now, I can’t recall what was said either. In both cases, I disciplined them severely, only to later question whether I had been too harsh.

Then Ephesians 6:4 echoed in my mind: “Fathers, do not exasperate your children.” Had I done that?

Other times, I chose mercy instead of discipline—only to question whether I should have intervened. Proverbs 13:24 reminded me, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.” Then, the worry crept in: Had my misplaced leniency set them on a path toward ruin?

Well, it’s 2018 now, and my children are no longer kids. How are they doing? There’s no definite answer yet, as their lives continue to unfold in their twenties. But one thing I’ve come to understand: We don’t have to be perfect parents for our children to turn out well. Their success is not entirely up to us—it is ultimately in God’s hands. Otherwise, how do we explain Jonathan, a righteous son who stood by his unprincipled father, Saul, until the end?

Looking back, I see that many of my fears stemmed from not fully trusting that God could overcome my parenting mistakes. Maybe I should have been more merciful at times—or more firm. But God knew my heart. As 1 John 3:20 says, “We can set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us because God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.” He knew that I loved them and still do.

So, parents, before worrying about whether to discipline or show mercy, love your children first. Personally, I would choose mercy first and turn to discipline only after all other options have been exhausted. Why? Because that’s exactly what our Heavenly Father has done for us—and continues to do! As James 2:13 says, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Through parenting, our understanding and appreciation of God’s love deepens. At least, that has been my experience. How about yours?

Prayer: Dear Lord, as You love us conditionally, help us to love our children unconditionally. Help us to love them for who they are, not because they can do things that makes us feel proud of our ability to parent. Father, please remove such delusion from us so that we can humbly ask You to help us to raise your children given to us for a time. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 1

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Samuel 20:30-34a, 31:1-2: Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? 31 As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!” 32 “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. 33 But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David. 34 Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger . . . 31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa.2 The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.

Questions to Consider

Based on Jonathan’s exchange with his father Saul, how would you characterize Jonathan and Saul, respectively?
How did Jonathan show his love and loyalty to his father?
What does this say about parenting? Do parents hold all the cards in ensuring that our kids turn out perfectly? (For reference read Ezekiel 18:1-24).

Note

Jonathan was a selfless man who, once recognizing God’s will that David—not him— was to succeed the throne, did all he could to defend his friend at the cost of his own life. On the other hand, Saul, wanting to keep the throne in the family, did everything to oppose God’s will, including trying to kill his own son (an irony, indeed) and later David.
Jonathan, having left his father in righteous anger, returned to his father to fight along with him in what turned out to be their final battle. You and I know that many of us wouldn’t have done that. We have heard cases where adult children don’t call their parents forever after a big fight that happened years ago.
Of course, parents are responsible to do their part in raising them in accordance to biblical ways (Eph. 6:4; Prov. 22:6), but they don’t control all the factors. Therefore, they shouldn’t get too much credit if their children turned out godly, and they shouldn’t get too much blame if their children turned out to be like Prophet Samuel’s sons, who “did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice” (1 Sam. 8:3).

Evening Reflection

This is for parents and future parents. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” What’s the first thing that comes to your mind with respect what you want your child to model after? Going to church Sundays? That’s good. Not using profanity? Okay. How about apologizing to people (including your spouse and children) after making a mistake? How about being humble, loving and kind? There’s so much to pray about—pray for your child before going to sleep. Pray that you will be that humble and kind person your child wants to emulate (much like Timothy imitated the sincere faith of his mother Eunice).