March 18, Saturday

The AMI QT Devotionals from March 13-20 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of OTR in Cincinnati. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (B.S.) and Westminster Theological Seminary in California (M.Div.), is married to Jessica, and they have two young children: Jonah and Lily.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Fellowship Meals

1 Corinthians 10:16-22 (ESV)

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? [17] Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. [18] Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? [19] What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? [20] No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. [21] You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. [22] Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Whether this is sound dating advice or not, we understand that sharing a meal is about much more than counting calories or satisfying hunger. Birthday parties, weddings, and many other events are purposely scheduled at meal times because food is intimately connected with relationships.

Now, meals are important not only to humans, but also to God. In our passage this morning, the apostle Paul explains that the Lord’s Supper is not simply a ritual or a memorial service for our Savior who is far away in heaven. It is an active participation in the body and blood of Jesus. The Lord’s Supper involves real, immediate communion or fellowship with God Himself.

Sharing a meal with God is not a new idea; it is found throughout the Scriptures. In Leviticus, the Israelites are given instructions for five major types of offerings. One of these, the peace offering, involves a fellowship meal. The offeror invites his friends and family to join him in eating the peace offering in the temple. In this way, the people of God not only eat in God’s house but, in effect, also enjoy a meal with God Himself.

In the New Testament, Jesus is always eating: he goes to weddings, eats with tax collectors and sinners, and miraculously feeds the 5,000. Shortly after resurrecting, the Lord appears to his disciples and asks for something to eat. Later, near the sea of Tiberius, we find him preparing breakfast for his men.

God loves to eat with His people because meals are a means of connection and relationship. This is why eating in pagan temples is so serious. The Lord has abolished all food restrictions. Idols are nothing. Thus, Paul is gravely concerned that the Corinthians might have fellowship with some spirit other than the Spirit of Christ.

We may not be tempted to participate in pagan feasts, but morning by morning do we fellowship with Jesus or with “spirits” of social media and careerism (e.g., checking daily planner, not God’s Word)? During our lunch breaks, do we eat with Jesus or with spirits of entitlement and envy? In the evenings, do we feast with Jesus or with spirits of sensuality and more social media? Throughout the day, Jesus is calling us to connect with Him—to hear Him speak and rest in His presence. May we hear the invitation of the Lord and feast at His table alone.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You love to fellowship with Your children. There is no reason that the Maker of Heaven and Earth would delight in me, yet You constantly call me to Yourself. May I delight in the table of Jesus alone.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 6-7

March 17, Friday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Relational or Robotic

1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (ESV)

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [2] and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [3] and all ate the same spiritual food, [4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. [5] Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

If we are honest, we prefer things that are guaranteed, that is, a sure-fire method that will produce the desired result. This is because we love to be in control.

As a high school student applying to college, one guaranteed method of gaining admission to my dream school was supposedly test scores. When I managed to do well on my SATs, my peers told me that I was set for life. I would get into the best college, graduate with the best major, and get a high paying job. They were wrong; life is not so robotic. Even in matters of faith, authors of many how-to Christian books try to sell us a sure-fire method with guaranteed results whether it’s a method of prayer or Bible study.

Have you ever been jealous of biblical characters? The Israelites walked through the Red Sea. Joshua saw the walls of Jericho fall. The twelve disciples saw Jesus feed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. If only we had been there, seen these miracles, and had these experiences, our faith would be rock solid! Faith, however, is not so robotic. Many who saw the glorious cloud, walked through the Red Sea, and ate the miraculous manna did not ultimately please God. Achan saw the walls of Jericho fall but still succumbed to greed. Judas saw three years worth of Jesus’s miracles before betraying Him.

When we trust in methods or experiences, we can begin to imagine that we are experts. We become proud and are setting ourselves up for a fall. Real Christian faith is not about methods or even experiences. Christian faith is trusting in a person. It’s relational, and while relationships have predictable rhythms, they don’t function like scientific experiments. In fact, if we are looking for guaranteed methods that lead to guaranteed results, a personal relationship becomes a hindrance, not a help.

When we truly trust in Jesus, then we are no longer in control but he is. While this is uncomfortable at first, it can ultimately be glorious. Remember, when the Israelites were helpless slaves in Egypt, God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. When Joshua was helpless before the stronghold city of Jericho, God revealed the plan that would lead the victory. When the disciples were helpless before the arrest and murder of Jesus, God saved them and the world.

Our helplessness, not our strength, opens the door for the miraculous work of God and the miracle is not just a show of power, but a means to know the One True God.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You are a living God, not a cosmic force or spiritual vending machine. You have made me to know You. May I not be distracted by Your gifts or miracles but may they be the means to knowing and loving You more.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 5

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Galatians 6:1-3 (ESV): Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [2] Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. [3] For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Question to Consider

What do people struggling with sin truly need?
Are spiritual people above temptation?
What happens when we are tempted to overestimate ourselves?

Notes

They need brothers or sisters who will restore them in a spirit of gentleness. Often, God addresses our helplessness (i.e., strengthen us) through other people.
No, they must keep careful watch of themselves.
When we feel that we don’t need others to bear our burdens, we are liable to fall.

EVENING REFLECTION

Reflect upon your day. Did you interact with God? Did you carry an attitude of “I’m in charge” or “I am helpless without Him? Ask the Lord to intervene in your life.

March 16, Thursday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Everything in Its Proper Place

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (ESV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. [25] Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. [26] So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. [27] But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

We expect children and even adolescents to have misplaced priorities: they want to play, not eat; they want to jump off things, not stay safe; they care about being cool, not the future. But we expect adults to be wiser. I don’t know about you, but I’ve surprised (or disappointed) myself with my foolishness more times than I’d like to admit.

In preparation for marriage, I did not spend any time contemplating how I would love my parents as a married son. I rarely considered how our marriage could be used to bless the church and unbelievers. I did not really think about the sacrifices I need to make for wife Jess. Instead, I spent a great deal of time and thought on things like a song list, a seating chart, and a vacation we would take following the wedding. Of course, none of those things are bad in and of themselves, but the real battles of life are not between good and bad per se but between good and best.

Athletes know that you do not need to hate junk food, sleep, or hobbies as the spawn of Satan. They simply need to put everything in its proper place: they need self-control; they need to prioritize their craft; they are focused on their prize.

Similarly, believers do not need to discipline their bodies because everything in this world is evil and God hates it when we enjoy His good gifts. But we do so, knowing that everything has its proper place: we need self-control; we need to remain focused on our prize.

How can we evaluate how we are doing in this? Our measure depends on what is our prize. The athlete’s prize is victory. Anything that helps this is more important. Anything that hinders it is less important. Our prize is the person and presence of Jesus Christ.

Brothers and sisters, in light of our prize, are our careers in their proper place? Are our standards of living in their proper place? Are our romantic lives in their proper place? Are our children in their proper place? People of God, is Jesus in His proper place in your lives?

Prayer: Father, I spend much of my time worried and distracted with things that will not matter. Give me grace to see the shining face of the Lord Jesus Christ, that I may know for whom I live and for whom all things are for.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 4

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read 2 Kings 5:20, 25-27 (ESV): Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” … [25] He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” [26] But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? [27] Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.

Question to Consider

Is it always wrong for a prophet to receive a gift?
Why were Gehazi’s actions so inappropriate?
What was Gehazi’s punishment.

Notes

No, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9 that one who labors in the Lord’s work should be paid.
Gehazi rejected Elisha’s wisdom and discernment. This was not a time to receive gifts or to be concerned with the things of this world, but Gehazi did not care.
Gehazi became a leper, someone unclean and therefore unable to enter into God’s presence.

EVENING REFLECTION

Reflect on your day. What did you worry most about? What did you pray most about? Thank God that He is concerned about your concerns. Also, ask Him that more and more His concerns would become your concerns.

March 15, Wednesday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

A Jew to Win Jews

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (ESV)

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

When I was in junior high, my friends and I would rep “AzN PRiDe.” I’m not entirely sure what random capitalization or spikey hair had to do with being Asian, but underneath it was a desire to find a group of people to identify with—or to put it another way, to be with people with whom I felt most comfortable.

Supposedly, we grow out of this adolescent desire but the evidence appears to indicate otherwise. For instance, some say that Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week in America. Theologians and church planters discuss the Homogenous Unit Principle, which states that people like to become Christians among those like themselves. But Paul has a decidedly different viewpoint, for he is interested in being with and even being like people who are different from him; that is, Paul willingly sets aside his culture to identify with others.

Thus, it comes as a surprise when Paul declares, “To the Jews I became a Jew.”

Wait a second—wasn’t Paul already a Jew? According to Philippians 3:5, Paul is “a Hebrew of Hebrews”! Before he met Jesus, Paul’s Jewishness was actually his greatest hindrance to believing in the Son of God. Yet, Christ had transformed him so completely that being an Israelite is no longer his primary identity. Paul does not need to find his identity in the cultural and religious customs of Israel. He is a citizen of the coming Kingdom. He is an heir with Christ; he is a child of God.

Certainly, Paul, continuing to value his heritage for Jesus, declared that salvation comes from the Jews. He has a particular love for his Jewish brothers, even desiring to trade his own salvation for theirs (Rom. 9:3). However, Paul’s culture is no longer an idol to be worshiped or a means to find belonging, but a tool to be used for a gospel purpose.

In Paul’s day, there were 200 million people in the world, of which about 100% were unreached (referring to those who never heard about Jesus and who will remain that way unless a Christian crosses a culture to tell them). He gladly utilized his cultural background or took on the patterns of another to more effectively share about Jesus.

In our day, there are over 7 billion people in the world, of which about 40% are unreached. Incredible progress has been made, but still over 3 billion people have very limited access to the Good News of Jesus Christ. If God’s people do not cross a culture, they will not hear of the only way of salvation.

As we go to the nations and as the nations come to us in our own cities, may our cultures be a Gospel tool and not a hindrance to believing, obeying, and sharing Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Father, I think you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Everything about me was created with purpose and with great potential for bringing Your Son glory. Use all that I am that all peoples may worship Jesus.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 3

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Philippians 3:4b-11 (ESV): If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. [7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Question to Consider

How could Paul boast in his background?
Why does Paul willing count his impressive background as loss?
How can Paul use his culture to spread the Good News?

Notes

Paul has a prestigious lineage: he was trained by well-respected teachers; he was zealous in his defense of Judaism; he was meticulous in his adherence to the law.
To gain Christ, that is, to know Jesus in His sufferings and in the power of His resurrection.
Paul’s training and law-keeping commended him to fellow Jews. His knowledge of Scripture could be used to prove that Jesus is the Christ. His zealous persecutions of believers and following transformation testified to the power and truth of Jesus.

EVENING REFLECTION

Reflect upon your day. How were you tempted to use your culture or background as a means to judge others or excuse your sin? What opportunities did God give you to connect with others because of or in spite of differences in culture? Pray for God to use all that you are to spread the name of Jesus.

March 14, Tuesday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Ordinary Christianity

1 Corinthians 9:16 (ESV)

For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

My daughter, around her second birthday, more or less potty-trained herself; my wife and I simply acted as cheerleaders. Now, when a toddler uses the toilet, you congratulate and celebrate; the child should feel proud and accomplished. However, when a forty-year-old man properly uses the toilet, it would be an odd moment to give hi-fives.

The apostle Paul declares that preaching the gospel gives him “no ground for boasting.” He is not doing anything noteworthy; this is not a spectacular achievement. He is simply doing his duty, fulfilling his ordinary responsibility as a Christian; in fact, to neglect preaching the gospel is not neutral but a warrant for being cursed! Of course, God does not judge us when we stumble through evangelism. He is not disappointed by our lack of skill or our growing pains, just as a parent knows that “accidents” are inevitable for a potty-training child.

At the same time, imagine a smug businessman in a well-tailored suit, who is wearing a diaper over his pants. Christian “maturity” without a growing ability to share our faith is, likewise, out of place, to say the least. There are many elements to a growing faith and we are not to neglect any them; and we cannot just grow only in the areas that are comfortable to us. A briefcase or a power tie cannot cover up a diaper forever.

Evangelism can be difficult. It is time-consuming since it’s relational; thus, it can be uncomfortable at first. But, this should be and is an ordinary part of being a child of God. Witnessing God raising the dead to life, up close and personal, is the extraordinary privilege of an ordinary child of God. Oh Lord, may our response be obedience and wonder.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that the harvest is plentiful and there are many people in our cities that belong to You. Give us courage that we may be good stewards of the Good News. Surprise us over and over again at the power of Your Gospel to transform lives and make people new.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 2

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV): Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17] And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [18] And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Question to Consider

Jesus has risen from the dead. Why do some disciples doubt?
How does Jesus address their doubts?
According to the passage, what kind of life will people enter into when they believe in Jesus?

Notes

The disciples remember that Jesus was recently tortured and murdered. They may be excited but afraid of what might happen to them.
Jesus declares His authority over all heaven and earth. He also promises to be with the disciples “to the end of the age.”
When someone believes in Jesus, her old life will be over and a new life will begin (baptism). She will also be given freedom from slavery to sin and power to love and obey God.

EVENING REFLECTION

Reflect on your day. Who did God place in your path who does not know Jesus? Did He give you any open doors to develop a friendship or share about Jesus with any of those people? Pray for open doors and boldness to get into the lives of those around you.

March 13, Monday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

The Right to Surrender Our Rights

1 Corinthians 9:7-12 (ESV)

Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? [8] Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? [9] For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? [10] Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. [11] If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? [12] If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Some of America’s most celebrated heroes are those who stood up for their rights and the rights of others: Cesar Chavez fought for migrant workers’ rights; Susan B. Anthony fought for women’s rights; Martin Luther King Jr. fought for civil rights. They were courageous and inspirational. They are still admired today and rightly so.

But the heroes of the Christian faith are surprisingly different. They did not fight for their rights but willingly surrendered them: Abraham surrendered his home and even his son, Isaac; the apostle Paul surrendered his bright future, his right to be paid for his labors and his safety; and of course, Jesus surrendered His glory and even His life.

Yes, the American heroes mentioned earlier made great sacrifices as well. But the heroes of the faith did not surrender their rights to further the rights of others, knowing that rights are important but not ultimate. Their rights became disposable in light of their greatest treasure; they laid down their rights to invite all people to receive King Jesus.

According to the Declaration of Independence, all men possess the unalienable rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Is it possible that there is something more important than the safety and livelihoods of our families? Is it possible that there is something more important than our freedom to control our own futures? Is it possible that there is something more important than the happiness that the things of this world can bring?

According to the Word of God, the answer is “yes,” and that “thing” is the Good News of Jesus Christ going forth to every nation, bringing eternal salvation to the world.

Prayer: Father, often my desires and rights hinder me from spreading your Good News. Give me Your strength that I may hold these gifts from You with open hands. May all things find their proper place in Your purposes and not my own.

Bible Reading for Today: Matthew 1

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Luke 12:13-15 (ESV): Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” [14] But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” [15] And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

Question to Consider

Is it possible that the man in the crowd who called out to Jesus had a legal claim on the inheritance?
Why does Jesus reject the role of judge in this matter?
What sin lies underneath this man’s “rights”?

Notes

Yes, in the Ancient Near East, the eldest son received a double portion of the inheritance but the other children received their shares over what’s left.
While God is a God of justice, Jesus didn’t come to earth solely to make the world an economically equitable place (“the poor you have with you always”).
The sin of covetousness.

EVENING REFLECTION

Reflect on your day. What rights did God invite you to surrender to Him for a gospel purpose? Pray for grace and strength to put His purposes before your rights and needs.

March 12, Sunday

2The AMI QT Devotionals from March 6-12 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Genesis 4:1-10

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

After writing about singleness and marriage from 1 Corinthians, I thought it would be fitting to end my week of blogs with some thoughts on the family. In the eighties there was show on PBS hosted by John Bradshaw that unpacked the role that our family of origin has on our personality formation. The research is hard to deny. As individuals, we are a product of our upbringing and therefore, we are not as free or as independent as we think we are. Our families impact us to degrees that are unimaginable and outside of our scope of conscious thought. So this has a trickledown effect: if individuals are sick emotionally, this means that our family systems are sick; if our families are dysfunctional, society as a whole manifests these symptoms of brokenness. In his book on the family, Bradshaw cites that “…shame is the source of most of the disturbing inner states which deny full human life. Depression, alienation, self-doubt, isolating loneliness, paranoid and schizoid phenomena, compulsive disorders, splitting of the self, perfectionism, a deep sense of inferiority, inadequacy or failure, the so-called borderline conditions and disorders of narcissism, all result from shame. Shame is a kind of soul murder. Forged in the matrix of our source relationships, shame conditions every other relationship in our lives.”

Now before you discount this as meaningless psychological mumbo jumbo, let’s think about the message of Genesis. We are told that before the fall, before sin, “the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” After the fall, according to Genesis 3:7, “… the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.” So the Bible, 1000s of years before Sigmund Freud or Carl Jung, understood that the driving mechanism of sin is the shame that it produces. Theologians talk about sin being imputed from Adam to the rest of humanity and along with the imputation of sin is the shame that it produces. And it is this shame at the bottom line that leads to the many unmentionable sins in the family.

We see the effects of shame and sin in the story of Cain and Abel. One key to understanding this passage comes from looking at the names of the two brothers involved in the story. The birth of Cain is a celebrated event and his mother essentially gives him the name “Begotten of God”. Martin Luther in his commentary on Genesis describes this as Eve putting all of her Messianic hopes on her first-born son. He is the one who is going to save the family. I want you to notice the language Eve uses to describe this newborn child. It is not “Oh what a cute baby we have or what cuddly bundle of joy.” People tend to get really childish when they see a baby but Eve looks at her newborn and calls him a man. These were the high expectation for Cain’s life. And so he grows up to be strong and manly, and best of all he becomes a farmer just like his dad. But unknowingly, Eve elevates Cain at the cost of Abel, whose name literally means “breath”. It is the same word that is translated as “meaningless” or “vanity” from the book of Ecclesiastes. It is little wonder that Cain thought so little about his brother’s life given their own parents attitude towards his younger sibling.

These are the type of dynamics that sin creates in the most important of all our relationships, our family. But this is precisely why the gospel is such good news! As Peter preaches the first sermon in the history of the Christian church, he tells the broken crowd, “The promise (of the gospel) is for you and for your children and for those far off.” I pray that the Lord will bless and bring healing to all the families the call on His name.

Prayer: Lord, you have the words of life not only for ourselves but also for those whom we love. We lift up our families to you and though we try to be strong, we know that there are problems that sin causes. At times we feel lost and despair over many things including our marriages and our children. In the midst of our worry, help us to trust in your goodness and to apply your word to every situation even if it doesn’t seem to make sense. We look to you because that is where our help comes from.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 John and 3 John

March 11, Saturday

The AMI QT Devotionals from March 6-12 are provided by Pastor Mark Chun of Radiance Christian Church in S. F. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), has been married to Mira for 20 years; they have two children, Jeremiah and Carissa.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Genesis 3:14-19

¹⁴The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. ¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” ¹⁶To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” ¹⁷And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; ¹⁸thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. ¹⁹By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

In our day and age, it has become increasingly unpopular to talk about sin and its consequences. But because we tend not to identify sin, it festers and grows unchecked and ignored. In the early 70’s, the influential American psychiatrist Karl Menninger wrote a book entitled Whatever Became of Sin? From his vantage point in the field of mental health (he began as a professor at Harvard Medical school in the 1920’s to the writing of this book in the 70s), he witnessed a dramatic change in the average American’s attitude towards sin. In the opening of his book, he makes this observation:

“In all of the laments and reproaches made by our seers and prophets, one misses any mention of ‘sin,’ a word which used to be a veritable watchword of prophets. It was a word once in everyone’s mind but now rarely if ever heard. Does that mean that no sin is involved in all our troubles—sin with an ‘I’ in the middle? Is no one any longer guilty of anything? Guilty perhaps of a sin that could be repented of or atoned for?… Anxiety and depression we all acknowledge, and even vague guilt feelings; but has no one committed any sins? Where, indeed, did sin go? What became of it?”

What the author is referring to is the fact that we have gone from one extreme, where we blamed everything on sin, and have swung to the other side of the pendulum, where nothing is a result of sin. We are simply victims of circumstances, chemical imbalance, and bad parenting. The truth most likely is found somewhere in the middle.

Like many things in life, harmful actions tend to lead to over-reactions that often times are equally damaging, if not even more so. The over-reaction against religious judgment, feelings of condemnation, and the legalistic culture of many churches has been the wholesale rejection of the idea of sin. However, from the outset of the Scriptures, God has a clear plan of redemption for the problem of sin. That is the good news of Christ, who would be born of a woman, born to bruise the head of our enemy, and to set us free from the bitter consequence of sin.

Prayer: Father, we often underestimate the power of sin in our lives. You tell us that we are slaves to sin, that our sin has separated us from You, and that it is the reason for death. Clearly, this is a bigger problem than we recognize, and it is for this problem that you gave Your only beloved Son. And for that great sacrifice of love, we thank You and praise You. In His precious name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 22

March 10, Friday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

One excuse that people make to avoid obeying the commands of God is the right for believers to exercise their Christian liberty. However, we need to understand that Christian freedom is not a license to do whatever we want to do. You cannot make the Bible a book of mere suggestions when in fact, these are the very commands of God. Therefore, the Scriptures give us wisdom on how to exercise our Christian liberties and outlines the limits of our freedom.

The important point that we need to know is that Christian freedom can only be exercised in matters that are non-ethical in nature. Here, in this passage, we have the question of whether to eat food offered to idols. There were some dietary and religious limitations that particular Jewish Christians held onto. Clearly, some old practices are hard to break. In addition, there were other debates that the early Christians struggled with, such as the question of whether to mark off certain days as holy in terms of the traditional Jewish calendar (e.g. Yom Kippur and the feast of Purim). And so along these non-ethical issues, where the Bible is largely silent, the Word teaches us to do as we are fully convinced in our minds (Romans 14:5). The key word here is fully. In order to be thoroughly convinced, it means having studied the Bible on the subject and taking it up to the Lord in prayer before deciding to exercise your Christian freedom. These decisions of liberty and conscience should not be made flippantly for the following two reasons:

First, in the case where Christian freedoms are debated, both parties share the blame. Those of us who can exercise our freedom with a clear conscience often judge those who might have doubts and questions. Those of us who feel more comfortable in limiting Christian freedom often hold in contempt those who exercise their freedom. No party is right here, and we will be held accountable to God for the attitudes that we hold against our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Second, in applying our Christian freedom, we must follow the law of love. Paul places greater responsibility on the person who wants to exercise their freedom over the person who wants to limit freedom, because it is much easier to change one’s own behavior rather than asking someone else to change their attitudes and thoughts. If you stumble another Christian while exercising your freedom, you can possibly damage the faith of someone who Christ died for; and to do so over a trivial matter, such as the use of alcohol and food, is both unloving and unthinkable. To show love for others is the highest Christian ethic, and this law of Christ mandates that love restrict even our freedom.

Prayer: Lord, it is so easy to just think about myself and my own personal needs. Yet You remind us that our highest calling is to love others as ourselves. If this means sacrificing some of my rights as a Christian, help me to make those necessary changes in my life. In all things, I pray that love would be the final standard for every decision that I make. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 21

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Romans 14:13-23: Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Questions to Consider

Instead of judging each other, what should Christians resolve to do?
How should my personal Christian freedom be exercised?
What are the more important matters that need to be considered when deciding on debatable issues of Christian conduct?

Notes

Instead of judging one another, it is important that everyone resolves not to be a hindrance or to place a stumbling block to someone’s faith.
Personal Christian freedom should not be an on-going source of tension in the church. Debatable matters should be resolved in such a way that peace is preserved and there is mutual edification. I believe the one who is called to limit his Christian liberty is actually built up the most because he/she can grow in the areas of self-control, sacrifice, and humble submission.
Christians have incredible degrees of freedom in the Lord, unlike many of the other world religions. But ultimately, our liberties are subordinate to the kingdom of God, which is characterized by joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. Any Christian behavior that does not add to this is probably not beneficial in the long run.

EVENING REFLECTION

As you may know, Pastor Jack Hayford has a certain way with words. As he prayed in front of the million men gathered in the National Mall in Washington DC, he said these words that have stayed with me all these years: “For 200 years we have come here to declare our rights, today we come to confess our wrongs.” It ushered in an atmosphere of repentance that was palpable. We have many rights as Christians, rights that we vigorously defend, but we have forgotten how to confess our wrongs to God and one another. Spend some time tonight confessing your sins and allowing the grace of God to cleanse and heal you.

March 9, Thursday

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

1 Corinthians 7:29-40 (NIV)

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. 36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. 39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

It is the wise person who asks the question, “What makes my life significant in the eyes of God, and what will I ultimately be rewarded for when I stand before the Lord?” We live in an area that is driven by metrics and analytics, and everyone in our church seems to be consumed by measurable results. But what does God consider a win? Unfortunately, it’s difficult to quantify spiritual success, because God’s scoreboard is different than ours.

There are many things that God will evaluate as a measure of our significance. He will look at the health of our marriages, how we raise our children, and how we conduct our friendships. He will even consider our career success, and how we earn and spend our money. But all of these things will pale in comparison to our impact on the lives of the lost and hurting. Proverbs 11:30 teaches us that “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he who is wise wins souls.”

In the past year, if you have not touched the life of another person who is in need of the gospel, you have not fulfilled one of your primary duties as a follower of Christ. We all have a number of callings in our lives. We are called to be husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, teachers, doctors, employees; but all of these callings are subordinate to our primary call to follow Christ and to be engaged in His mission to share His gospel to the world. Unfortunately, we often invert our priorities and live with divided devotions to God. For some, we will be limited by our responsibilities to our family, but we must still make God’s kingdom our priority. God’s desire for all of us is that we would live fully devoted lives for Him, whether we are married or single.

Prayer: Father, I confess that my devotion can be divided by many things. Some of these responsibilities are necessary and part of Your will for my life. Help me to be the best spouse or parent that I possibly can be, but in seasons give me the faith to live with single-minded devotion, entrusting the welfare of our loved ones to you, so that I can serve You without reservation. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 20

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Questions to Consider:

Why does Jesus tell us not to worry?
What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom first?
How does seeking God’s kingdom help with the problem of worry?

Notes:

Jesus tells us not to worry, based on the fact that His Father takes cares of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. If He would take care of His lesser creations, how much more would He take care of us.
The true people of God understand the innate beauty of God’s glory and know that their well-being is secondary in terms of its importance. There are too many Christians who do not live a God entranced life, but they live a self-absorbed life. The question on their heart isn’t what can I do to please God and how can I better glorify Him, but rather they are consumed by how God can please them and make their lives more enjoyable. In making this critical mistake, these people never find the pleasure and enjoyment of life that they are looking for, because pleasure and joy come when God is pleased with us and when we seek His kingdom
The command to seek the kingdom is found in the greater context of Jesus’ command for us not to worry. Jesus teaches us not to worry about the food that we will eat, the clothes that we will wear, the graduate school that we will get into, or the success of our career. These needs are secondary in terms of their importance, and they will be given to us when we attend to the greater priority of God’s kingdom. The Scriptures are absolutely clear on the importance of the Kingdom of God, and every Christian needs to know the infinite value of God’s kingdom and the necessity of buying completely into it.

EVENING REFLECTION

Think about the ways in which you worry and allow anxiety to fill your heart. Is this because you are not seeking God’s purpose and plan? Pray to the Lord that He would calm your anxious heart and fill you with the peace that surpasses all understanding.