April 16, Sunday

The AMI QT Devotionals April 10-16 are written by David Son, who serves as the college pastor at Symphony Church in Boston. David, a graduate of UC Berkeley (B.S.) and Gordon-Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Grace who teaches at a public school.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“Recognize His Presence”

John 20:14-16

Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

In the summer of 2011, my dad and I were having a father-son lunch, when we ran into a couple of my dad’s friends. Father-son time turned into three old men talking, while I just sat silently and smiled. But I didn’t mind because of who showed up next. The fifth member of our lunch party appeared a few minutes late, but it was MC Hammer. Apparently, the other two men were scheduled to have lunch with him, and they all just decided to join us! I remember being so star-struck, I couldn’t believe I was sitting across from Mr. Hammer himself! In short, it was an exciting lunch for most of the people sitting at the table. The only person who had no clue what was going on was my dad. He had never seen nor even heard of MC Hammer. I was so embarrassed on behalf of my dad, who asked Hammer silly questions like, “So, what do you do?” After lunch, as we hopped into the car to go home, I had to give my dad a briefing on American pop culture, and who it was that we had just eaten lunch with. Only after seeing the numerous YouTube videos, and beholding the sheer fame of MC Hammer, did my dad realize that he had failed to recognize the presence of an iconic star.

On the first Easter Sunday, Mary didn’t recognize Jesus either. Even after seeing Him and hearing His voice, she mistook Him for a common gardener. She asked Him silly questions like, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him….” It wasn’t until Jesus said her name, “Mary,” that she recognized that she was in the presence of Jesus.

In a similar way, we often fail to recognize the presence of God in our lives. And when we don’t recognize His presence, we are missing out on the opportunity to do life with God. Sure, we believe that He is omnipresent, and we teach children that He is always with us. But the reality is that we often live as though His presence is far off and rarely relevant to our daily lives. But Jesus did not resurrect so we might merely know some facts about Him. He intends for us to live in the reality of His presence, daily. Today we are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. May we hear God calling out our names, and let us remember that He is indeed alive and with us each day!

Prayer: Jesus, we celebrate your resurrection today. You are the risen King! Holy Spirit, help us to live today, and each subsequent day, in the fullness of Your presence. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 8; John 20

April 15, Saturday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“The Most Uncomfortable Day”

Luke 24:54-56

It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

During elementary school, my best friend’s mother passed away from leukemia. It was the first tragedy that I had encountered in my life, and also the first funeral I had ever attended. But as I made my way to pay my respects at the open casket, more than grief, I was overwhelmed with fear. I had known this woman; I loved her, but there she was, passed on. What was going to happen to my friend? I proceeded to greet the family, and I found him weeping intensely. I wasn’t prepared, I didn’t know what to say, and I didn’t know what to do with all the pain surrounding me. I gave him a quick hug and a muted smile, and ran away to hide in a different part of the building. I wish I could have done it differently. I wish I had stayed beside my friend, but the fear and discomfort of pain drove me to run away. It was the most uncomfortable day of my life.

When we look through the four Gospel accounts of Jesus’ burial, they all mention that it was Joseph (the owner of the tomb) and the women who buried Jesus. My question is, “Where were the men? Where were Peter, James, and John?” The Bible doesn’t say where they were, but clearly they were not at the tomb. To a certain extent, I understand how the disciples must have felt on that eve, and all throughout that Saturday. It must have been the most uncomfortable, scary, and confusing day. Why couldn’t Jesus have risen after one day? Why did God wait until the third day? Why didn’t God heal my friend’s mother? Why doesn’t God put a swift end to the brokenness and suffering in this world? We shouldn’t presume to understand the ways of God, but one thing is certain: seasons of suffering seem to be within God’s good plan.

We know the good news, we know the end of the story, we know that Jesus will resurrect, and we know that God will one day make all things new. But hope is not an escape mechanism. Let us not run away or hide ourselves from the seasons of suffering that we face presently. Instead, let us encourage one another, walk alongside each other, and comfort our brothers and sisters who are going through pain, in the hope of Jesus Christ. It’s Saturday, but Sunday is on the horizon!

Prayer: God, we trust You even when circumstances are bleak. We know who You are—You are a God who turns mourning into dancing and sorrow into joy. Help us to persevere together as we walk in the faith that You are a good and faithful God. Thank You that the end of the story is victory, restoration, and resurrection. We love You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 6-7

April 14, Friday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“The Lamb of God”

John 1:35-36

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

Not only is the Bald Eagle the national animal for the United States, the majestic bird is also a cultural symbol representing freedom and strength. Where people from other nations/cultures might see a mere bird, Americans understand the special and profound effect that the bald eagle has in stirring up patriotic emotions.

In a similar way, lambs had a certain special and profound effect on the Jewish people in the first century. To us today, a lamb is just a lamb. But every Jew would have understood that lambs represented sacrifice and atonement. Since the days of Moses, and for generations upon generations, the blood of lambs was the means of forgiveness for the Jewish people for their sins against God. And while wool and meat were some of the secondary provisions from lambs, the primary symbolism of lambs during those times was to remember the grace of God and the forgiveness of sin.

So it must have been strange for his disciples to hear John the Baptist proclaim, regarding Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Interesting choice of animal to describe a fellow rabbi! John could have said, “Lion of God” or “Eagle of God,” but he said, “Lamb of God.” John understood something that few people understood at the time, and we only understand in hindsight: Jesus came to offer atonement for us. He is indeed the Lamb of God.

Many years ago, Jesus submitted Himself to death on a cross. Spend some time this morning coming to Jesus and thanking Him for being our perfect Lamb.

Prayer: Jesus, we thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for being the Lamb of God. As we go through this day, we remind ourselves that we are where we are because of what You have done for us. In Your name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 5; Mark 15

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Philippians 2:5-8: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Questions to Consider

What is Paul’s primary command in this passage?
According to the passage, what actions did Jesus take (although he was God)?
How can we have the mindset of Jesus?

Notes

Paul’s primary command for his readers is found in the first clause: “Have this mind among yourselves….” In other words, he is about to tell us the type of attitude we should have.
When we observe the verbs in this passage, we see that although Jesus was God,
1. He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped
2. He emptied Himself
3. He took the form of a servant
4. He humbled Himself
5. He became obedient
Paul’s intention is not for us to literally hang ourselves on a cross. But he exhorts us to have the mindset of Christ, which is to consider others’ needs more than our own, to empty ourselves, take on the form of a servant, humble ourselves, and become obedient to the Lord. This is something we can all do, in both big and small ways!

EVENING REFLECTION

A popular praise song goes like this: “I remind myself of all that you’ve done, and the live I have because of your Son.” This evening, spend some time reminding yourself of what Jesus did for you on the cross, and the life you have because of His sacrifice.

April 13, Thursday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“Wet Socks”

John 13:3-5

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

To be completely honest, when I first started serving on staff at my church, I had a hard time submitting to my lead pastor. Of course, I never did let it show on the outside; I did every task I was asked to do. But as the months went on, a grumbling spirit was taking hold of my heart; and as I continued to serve, it gradually grew into a root of bitterness. Perhaps you have experienced a similar rebellion of the flesh against submission to authority, whether at church or in the workplace. I felt trapped in this position, feeling obligated to serve, while at the same time unable to articulate the growing vexation within. But then something happened.

It was January, a typical snowy Sunday in Boston. I had accidentally stepped into a puddle of slush on my way to Sunday morning service, and as a result, my shoes and socks were soaking wet. I took my shoes off and draped my dripping socks on the backseat of a chair as I helped setup for the worship service. A few minutes later, I went back to where I had put my socks, hoping to find them at least a little drier than they were before. To my surprise, they were gone! Just as I was about to accuse someone of stealing my socks, my lead pastor walked out of the bathroom, with my socks in his hands. He had taken them into the bathroom, washed them, and used the hand-dryer to blow dry my socks. He handed them to me and said, “I didn’t want you to get sick.” In that moment, as I was fighting back the tears, I felt God speak to me saying, “You’re struggling to submit to this man, but see how he is willing to serve you. So now, submit to him, joyfully.” From that day, the bitter root was gone, my grumbling spirit was broken off, and serving started becoming a joy.

I can imagine the shock of the disciples when Jesus began washing their feet. They probably never expected their Lord to serve them in such a way. Little did they know that He would give them so much more; He was going to lay down His life.

Have you been grumbling? Do you recognize a bitter root taking hold of your heart? If so, know this: Jesus laid down His pride, honor, and even His life in order to serve us. Let us joyfully submit to Him, and lovingly serve one another.

Prayer: Lord, may everything we do, whether it’s submitting to authorities, serving people, or obeying your commands, may we do it from a place of joy. Remind us that You first loved us and served us, especially if we find ourselves growing weary or bitter. Thank You that You are a Servant King. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 4

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read John 13:34-35: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

Questions to Consider

In what manner are we commanded to love one another?
According to Jesus, how will people recognize His disciples?
What examples of Christ can we follow, as we strive to love one another?

Notes

In this passage, when Jesus commands His disciples to love one another, He also includes this guideline to inform us of the manner in which we are to love: “just as I have loved you…” In other words, we don’t love based on how we feel like loving. Neither do we love based on whether or not the recipient deserves such love. Our love for one another is based on how Jesus loved us.
Jesus says that people will recognize His disciples by the love they have for one another. In other words, the love that is displayed by the church should be so radical and so refreshingly different that it causes people to recognize that there is something special going on among the people of God.
So much of Jesus’ life is set as an example for us to follow. This passage comes right after Jesus washes His disciples’ feet. One way that we can follow this particular example is to willingly commit ourselves to do the “dirty work.” The kind of tasks that no one else really wants to do, but someone needs to do. Things like doing the dishes, vacuuming, laundry—menial tasks that include very little glory and require very little skill. When we do these out of love for one another, we are reflecting the servant heart of Christ.

EVENING REFLECTION

Are you serving in your church? What is your heart’s attitude towards serving?

If you aren’t serving in some capacity, you should serve in some way! And if you are currently serving, spend some time reflecting on how your heart has been towards serving. If you find that there is some grumbling or bitterness growing within, bring it before Jesus our Servant King.

April 12, Wednesday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“The Most ‘Wasteful’ Gift”

Mark 14:3-9

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Historians say the most expensive gift ever given in the history of mankind is the Taj Mahal. The Taj, located in India, was commissioned by Shah Jahan to be built in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took 22 years, 20,000 laborers, and 32 million rupees (that’s around 1 billion US dollars if you convert and factor in inflation) to construct this monumental project. As beautiful and inspiring as the Taj Majal is, most of us would agree that the gesture was extremely wasteful. Think about how much you could do with 20,000 laborers in 22 years, with 1 billion dollars. And the Shah used all that to express his love for his deceased wife by constructing a building that has very little functional value. What a waste!

Those were the kinds of thoughts that enraged the onlookers of this dramatic scene from Mark 14. As the woman poured out 300 denarii (a year’s salary) worth of ointment upon Jesus’ feet, those who were nearby couldn’t help but be frustrated at the wasteful, inefficient nature of this woman’s offering. But what they failed to understand, and what we often forget, is that love is wasteful. When we genuinely express love to someone, it isn’t calculated, it isn’t necessarily efficient; in fact it’s often wasteful. No one understood this better than Jesus.

Historians got it wrong. The most expensive gift ever given in the history of mankind was not the Taj Majal; it was the life of Jesus Christ. A few days after the woman poured the ointment on Jesus’ feet, God paid our ransom by offering Jesus on the cross. He is the most wasteful giver of all time!

In your love for God, and your love for people, have you been wastefully loving? Or is your love always calculated and efficient? Today, let’s look for opportunities to love God and love one another genuinely, even wastefully.

Prayer: God, teach us how to give as You gave and to love as You loved—even if it means being inefficient for a time, or even being wasteful with our time, energy, and resources. Free us from anxieties and worries, which often inhibit us from loving wastefully. Thank You that You gave us the greatest gift of all in your Son, Jesus, and for sending Your Holy Spirit to be with us. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 3

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Luke 11:9-13: And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, what must we do in order to receive from God?
How can we trust that God would so easily give us good gifts?
What gift is the heavenly Father so eager to give to us?

Notes

The passage makes it clear that all we must do is ask! “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find….” Even though we know this is in Scripture, we aren’t used to this because the world doesn’t really function this way. We usually have to work and earn every other good thing we have. Consequently, this promise is easy to learn but hard to practice!
Simply asking and receiving seems like too good of an offer to be true. How can we know that this is true? To help us understand, Jesus points to our earthly fathers. Even though they aren’t perfect, we can trust that most fathers know how to take care of their children and give them good gifts. In the same way, God is our Heavenly Father, and we can trust Him (even more than our earthly fathers) to give us good gifts when we simply ask.
Some interpret this passage to mean that God would give us anything we ask for. And while we can certainly ask Him for anything, this passage is quite clear that the primary gift that God has in store for His children is the Holy Spirit. He knows that more than anything else, the Holy Spirit is the best and most crucial gift for us!

EVENING REFLECTION

The most famous passage about receiving the Holy Spirit is from Acts 2, when the disciples were waiting, longing for the Holy Spirit to come, and He indeed comes. Consequently, we often think that we have to be in a certain spiritual state in order to be filled with the Spirit. But the book of Acts is filled with other instances of people being filled with the Spirit: those who knew nothing about the Spirit but just asked (Acts 19:1-6), one who was hostile towards God (Acts 9:17-20), and even Gentiles (Acts 10)!

Regardless of what “spiritual condition” you are in right now, ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit!

April 11, Tuesday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“A Greater Vision”

Mark 11:15-18

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

In 1996 Steve Jobs returned to Apple to serve as the interim CEO of the company. People were familiar with Jobs because he was the co-founder back in ‘76, but no one could have predicted what he did when he came back. At the time of his re-entry, Apple was a slowly dying company. But to be fair, they were working on roughly 350 different projects, with the hopes of making a comeback. But Steve Jobs came in and overthrew all of them! He cut every single project and forced the company to focus on just 10 projects. Some might have called him crazy, but everyone agrees that he was a radical. Nevertheless, out of this revolutionary overthrow was born the iMac, iTunes, the iPod and the iPhone! Since then, Apple has become the most successful tech company in the world.

On the Tuesday before Jesus was crucified, He went into the Temple of Jerusalem and overturned the tables, both literally and figuratively. The Temple of Jerusalem was a slowly dying system (the glory of God wasn’t upon it quite like it was in the “olden days”) but to be fair, the Temple was the center of the entire Jewish faith. It had been that way for a multitude of generations. Worship, teaching, sacrifices, offerings, all these things took place at the Temple of Jerusalem. It would be an understatement to say that the Temple was the most important and holiest place in all of Judea. So it’s no surprise that the priests, scribes, and religious leaders were outraged by Jesus.

But much like the vision Jobs had with respect to earthly things, Jesus had, in a much greater way, a vision for spiritual things—a vision for a faith that is not chained to the adherence of ceremonial laws nor confined to a physical location. Jesus had in mind to completely do away with the old system of worship, which had turned into a complex system of do’s and don’ts. Instead, He Himself would be the Way to come to God. In Christ and through Christ, anyone could have access to the presence of God.

Although we live in the post-resurrection era, oftentimes we overcomplicate people’s access to the presence of God. When we’ve been “good,” we feel as though we deserve to receive God’s love. On the other hand, when we fall into sin, we tend to exclude ourselves from eligibility. But let’s be reminded that Jesus overthrew the old way, and He became our Way to the Father. May you live today in the fullness of the presence of God!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for providing the way for us. Thank You for your blood, which cleanses us and makes us worthy to be with You. Help me during the times when I’m tempted to disqualify myself or others from Your presence based on our shortcomings. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 2

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Hebrews 10:26-29: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

Questions to Consider

What does this passage say regarding deliberate (willful) sin?
What happened to people who deliberately disregarded the Mosaic Law?
How do we reconcile this with the grace and forgiveness of God?

Notes

For obvious reasons, this is not the most attractive verse for believers these days. The passage tells us that there is “no longer a sacrifice” for those who go on sinning deliberately. In other words, the continual practice of willful sin indicates that a person is not living in the forgiveness of God.
In the Old Testament, there was no sacrifice provided for a person who committed a willful, defiant act of sin (see Leviticus 15:30-31). That person would be “utterly cut off” and “his iniquity shall be on him.”
To be clear, this passage does not undermine the power of Jesus’ blood to cover our sins. Even sins that are committed consciously/willingly are certainly within the realm of Christ’s forgiveness. If that were not the case, no one could be saved. However, this passage is a sober reminder that a lifestyle of casual sin is not the norm for a follower of Christ. These days, there is a danger of becoming so comfortable with the doctrine of grace that Christians become okay with living with casual sin. The thought is, I’m never going to be perfect, so I’m not really that concerned with the sin in my life. Besides, Jesus’ blood covers it! But the Bible teaches that that is not an acceptable way to live! True repentance requires that we take our sin seriously. And although it’s true that we won’t achieve perfection while in the flesh, we must never become comfortable with the practice of sinning.

EVENING REFLECTION

Is there an area of your life in which you have stopped pursuing holiness? Perhaps it’s a sin that has plagued you for quite some time. This evening, invite the Holy Spirit to come and renew your love for the Lord in that area.

April 10, Monday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR THE PASSION WEEK

“The Prancing Dad”

Hebrews 5:8-9

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him

About a month ago, I was walking in downtown Boston, and I found myself walking behind a father and daughter, holding hands as they walked along the sidewalks of downtown. The man was probably in his 40’s, fully suited from head to toe. It was obvious that he worked in the corporate world in downtown. Next to him, holding his hand was his daughter who couldn’t have been more than 5 years old. As I was walking behind them, the daughter started skipping. In my heart, I thought, “Aww, what a cute pair…” But I didn’t expect what happened next to happen. Before I could finish my thought, the dad started skipping too! With his suit jacket flapping in the wind, and dress shoes clunking and skidding on the pavement, his gait was anything but graceful. In fact, he looked ridiculous! But as I watched them skip and prance ahead of me, I thought, “That man might be an important businessman somewhere, but he is certainly a great father.” And in that moment I understood a little more of God’s heart for us; although He is an Almighty God, He would willingly humiliate himself, endure ridicule, and go through suffering, all for the sake of being with us.

To be clear, our passage today is not at all saying that Jesus was imperfect at one point, nor was Jesus disobedient at any moment of His life. But it is telling us that God willingly took on flesh and experienced (learned) first-hand what it’s like to be human. Jesus walked, talked, ate, wept, and suffered with us. Furthermore, Scripture says that without falling into sin, He also endured every temptation that we experience. And that’s what made Him our ideal Savior and sympathetic High Priest.

This week is Passion Week, and we usually spend more time this week meditating on the suffering of Christ than in any other time of the year. As we remember what Jesus went through during this week, let us not forget that He did it all for the sake of being with us.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for willingly humbling Yourself, laying down Your titles and walking in our shoes. This week, as we approach Good Friday and Easter, may we understand Your great love for us. In your name we pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 1

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Hebrews 2:14-18: Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Questions to Consider

According to this passage, why did Jesus have to become fully man?
According to this passage, what is the pre-requisite for helping those who are being tempted?
How can we most effectively help others who are going through trials and temptations?

Notes

Jesus had to become fully man, “made like his brothers in every respect,” so that He could become a merciful and faithful High Priest. In other words, Jesus’ divinity is what made Him worthy to atone for all of our sins. But it’s His humanity that made Him an eligible representative for us. He had to become like us, in order to take our place upon the cross.
Verse 18 reads, “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” It is true that God would still be able to help us, even if He hadn’t experienced temptation. But Jesus experienced temptation for our sake, so that we can relate to our Helper. When we are tempted, we can be sure that our Lord has been there Himself, and that He understands the struggles of being tempted.
Most of the time, we feel as if we need to have it all put together before we can provide help for someone who is going through a hard time. Help is seen as something that is given as charity from the strong to the weak. But if we take a cue from Jesus, our idea of help is transformed. Although He was strong, He made Himself weak in order to minister to the weak. He willingly endured temptation and suffering for our sake. Obviously this is not a command to go out and intentionally seek suffering and temptation, but rather it is a call to be honest with our own weaknesses and flaws, because God often uses our own shortcomings as a way to minister unto others.

EVENING REFLECTION

This evening, spend some time meditating on this passage from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

April 9, Sunday

The AMI QT Devotionals from April 3-9 are provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego. Peter is a graduate of U.C. Riverside and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). He and his wife Jessica have three very active children: Nathan, Abigail, and Jason.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“Prayer Walk That Opens a Closed Door”

1 Cor. 16:8

But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

09Last Sunday, a sister—showing a lot of enthusiasm—asked me, “Are you excited about our prayer-walk around the community this afternoon?” And with a genuine excitement, I replied, “Yeah, I’m really excited!”

For the past year, our church has been intentionally praying for our local community. We moved into an area called Kearny Mesa in the fall of 2015, and after finally settling down, we participated in several prayer-walks around the area. We also began to bless our community, asking for His Kingdom to come into our areas during our intercessory prayer times. Afterwards, as I have learned from Experiencing God study, we kept our eyes open to see what the Lord would reveal.

Today, it seems that God is opening up several doors within our community. Those three areas are: 1) Chinese International student population, studying at the universities of San Diego; 2) possibly the camper community (homeless) within Kearny Mesa; and 3) Vietnamese-American youths who are considered “unreached,” living within the U.S. Step by step we are walking through these doors, knowing that doors for effective work is being opened for us by the Lord.

We also understand that there will be some level of spiritual “opposition.” Whether the challenges come from within or from the outside, we know that open doors do not guarantee ease of entry. If you’ve ever followed Paul’s missionary travels throughout the Book of Acts, you will see that open doors often included opposition. Paul could have just as easily been tempted to think that opposition meant the door was closing just as soon as it was opening, or that he may have simply misunderstood God’s will. Thankfully, Paul understood that opposition would soon ensue open doors for God’s work.

We, too, understand that with these open doors into our community, we expect to face challenges, difficulties, and perhaps even opposition. The Word of God has already shown us enough patterns so that we are made aware. The Word of God also exhorts us to continually pray as prayer is part of our spiritual weaponry in standing firm and overcoming opposition.

Ask the Lord for open doors for God’s work. Then keep your eyes open. When the doors do open, get involved, but do so with prayer, for you know that difficulties may soon follow. Remember Paul’s words in Romans 8:37: “In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

Prayer: Lord, give me a heart for the people in my neighborhood, work, and church. Motivate me to share with them what You have given me. But first, help me to begin praying for them so that I may recognize what You’re already doing in their lives so that I merely need to join You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 4

April 8, Saturday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“Our Attitude towards Money”

1 Cor. 16:2

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Have you ever thought about what factors have shaped your attitude towards finances? If you are an eager saver, where did you pick up those habits? If you are a generous giver, do you think it’s just your personality? If you are a carefree spender, have you ever paused to consider why you spend as much as you do?

As a pastor, I don’t ignore this topic during pre-marital counseling, since some studies indicate that couples argue about finances more than any other topic, no matter how much or how little they own. Some say that frequent financial arguments early in marriages may actually serve as a predictor of divorces. So, why would people who love each other deeply argue so much when it comes to finances?

Early on in our marriage, we, too, had our share of disagreements over this. We realized that joining of two people entailed joining two totally different orientations towards money. Money operates as a metaphor representing status or security or enjoyment opportunity among other things. At the times I wanted security, my wife wanted enjoyment; and at the times she wanted security, I wanted status, and so forth. Eventually, we had to sit down together and talk about why we viewed finances so differently and how we would move forward. We had to figure out who or what would shape our view of finances.

Here, Paul instructs the Corinthian believers how to handle a portion of their income at the beginning of each week. They are to set aside a sum of money as a collection that will provide relief for other believers. “But Paul isn’t just interested in raising money to help those who don’t have very much. He wants this to be a sign of something more, something bigger: to signal to the Gentile Christians that they are part of the same family as the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem; and, more importantly still, to signal to the Jewish Christians that those Gentiles out there are part of the same family as they are.” (Wright, N.T)

With that unifying goal of love in mind, Paul begins to shape a new way in which the Corinthian believers are to behave when it comes to money.

Earlier, I asked if you’ve ever thought about the factors that have shaped your attitude towards finances. I have another important question. Do the teachings of Scripture about money shape your attitude towards money?

Prayer: Lord, thanks for providing for me all these years. Please help me to be more generous towards You in recognition of Your Lordship in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 2

April 7, Friday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“Emotionally Healthy Follower”

1 Cor. 16:10-11

When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. ¹¹No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers.

I think almost everyone would agree that the role of a spiritual leader (e.g., pastor, small group leader, or ministry leader) is critical to God’s family. With this understanding, the topic of leadership has been studied in seminaries, churches, conferences, etc. We hold the view that the heathier the leader, the healthier the church or the small group. It is most likely with this assumption that the book Emotionally Healthy Leader has been read by hundreds and thousands of spiritual leaders.

But could this inadvertently place too much pressure or perhaps all the pressure solely upon the leadership?

I agree that it is absolutely important for the spiritual leader to grow in character, self-awareness, wisdom, and emotional and spiritual health in order to lead effectively. However, there is more. I’ve come to understand that good “followership” is just as crucial for a healthy body of Christ or a small group or a ministry.

I believe Paul is encouraging the Corinthian church to display this character. He reminds the Corinthian believers to receive Timothy (a young, growing pastor) with the kind of reception so that he has nothing to fear. Timothy is not to be treated contemptuously, and when he departs, he is to leave in peace. Could you imagine what Timothy would have reported to Paul upon his return had this been carried through? Could you imagine the effect you might have upon your leaders should he/she experience your support and encouragement rather than contempt?

I remember two of our church members asking one day if they could meet with me. When that happens, for some reason I expect something negative. Typically, I assume that there is a problem in the church that needs my attention. As I sat down with them, they asked, “Can we just spend some time praying for you?” So we spent some time as they ministered to me. Afterwards, I asked, “Is there anything else?” I assumed that since they opened up the meeting by first praying for me, whatever would come up next was going to be really bad. But that was it. There was no other agenda than to simply pray for me, their pastor. I was moved.

Paul understood that it could have gone horribly for young Timothy. He asked for good followership. Timothy must have been moved by their reception and love.

Prayer: Dear Lord, this morning I pray for my __________ (pastor, small group leader, ministry leader) and ask that you bless them with your love and your strength. If there is any contempt in my heart towards them, please forgive me and cleanse me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 1

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read 2 Tim 1:15-18: You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. 16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

Questions to Consider

Having been deserted by “everyone” in the province of Asia, what do you suppose is going on in Paul’s mind?
What qualities does Onesiphorus show in these few verses?
What is the reward of Onesiphorus’ ministry to Paul?

Notes

Paul must have felt like a colossal failure. He had spent a lot of time in the province of Asia, particularly in Ephesus. He had preached the gospel to them, taught them, lived alongside them, wept and laughed and prayed with them. They had been dear to him and he to them. And now he says they’ve turned away from him.
Onesiphorus was “not ashamed” of Paul’s chains, something he urged Timothy to do earlier in 2 Tim 1. Onesiphorus doesn’t just stumble upon Paul in Rome. Rather he takes initiative to search for him and does not give up until he finds Paul. Finally, Onesiphorus brings Paul true refreshment.
Paul prays for Onesiphorus to receive mercy from the Lord.

EVENING REFLECTION

Spend some time thinking about the spiritual leaders you have or have had. Pray for them and their families and bless them for their work in the Lord.