January 12, Thursday

Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor, Ph.D.) will present a series of blogs, dealing with various issues raised in the recent election that showed a deep divide, impacting both society at large and the church. The thoughts presented are processed through the lens of the Radical-Middle (both/and), personal narratives, and pastoral concerns. Your rational feedback is welcomed.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

A Pastor’s Story of Redemption from Mexico to America

Hebrews 11:34 (NIV): . . . whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.

Psalms 126:4-5 (ESV): Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

It wasn’t long after I began to attend a church in Juarez, Mexico in 2000, (while attending a language school) did I realize how uninformed I was of what God was doing among the Mexican churches—they were sending out missionaries. While the number of Mexican missionaries continues to grow, 75 percent go to just two countries: Spain and USA (David Markham). Going to Spain is certainly understandable, since evangelicals make up only 1 percent of the population—but to America?

According to a 2013 Times cover story (“Evangélicos”), “Latinos are pouring into Protestant churches across the U.S.”, and that a shortage of trained pastors to lead what are mostly Charismatic congregations continues to be an issue. So it makes sense that pastors trained in Mexico are going to the States as missionaries. Among the many pastors whom I was privileged to train, five of them currently pastor a Hispanic congregation in cities like Dallas, Nashville, and Porterville. Meet one of them, Pastor Jonathan, who pastors a congregation in New Mexico.

When Jonathan, a German-descent Mexican in his late 20s, came to my class in 2004, he was a youth pastor at a nearby Assembly of God congregation—and he was eager to learn. In his teens, he ran away from an abusive father, who forced him to sell things on the street, to live with a relative; there, he worked to support himself and finish high school. And it was during this time of “weakness” that he came to know the Lord; God’s call to ministry came a little later.

After studying diligently with me for three years, he had progressed enough so that his superior allowed him to train other pastors with my courses. Jonathan was happy for the opportunity but also nervous, since his students were older and more experienced pastors. Working hard and praying even harder to prepare himself, he did great. Therefore, I was so disappointed when Jonathan informed me in 2006 that he was moving to New Mexico to take on a small pastorate; I was really hoping he would become a main instructor for the courses being produced.

Soon after we moved back to the states in 2011, Jonathan invited me to offer a course to his leaders and to preach. Oh, how pleased I was to find that a church of 30 had grown to a congregation of over 200 adults and 100 kids! Though the numbers do not always tell the right story, in this case, it did. Pastor Jonathan, who could have easily given up, didn’t; instead, he worked and studied hard and prayed even harder to be the right spiritual leader for his people, many of whom have led a hard life economically (e.g., working on the farm) and personally (e.g., family separation). His radio and video ministry (“Practical Faith”) continues to impact many in the Hispanic community searching for answers.

The story of Pastor Jonathan reminds us that God is in the redemptive business of turning our sorrow and weakness into joy and strength, respectively, so that we can be useful for His kingdom work. Trust God; work hard; pray harder. That is always the “winning” formula.

Prayer: Lord, how I exalt You for your steadfast love towards me. Although I have given up on myself many times, You have always stayed close to encourage me. Lord, although I cannot offer much, if at all, use me for Your Kingdom work. Cleanse me, train me, and equip me so that I can be useful for You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 12

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Phil. 1:6, 2:13 (ESV): And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ . . . for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

2 Tim. 2:6 (NIV): The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.

1 Peter 2:11 (ESV): . . . whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Questions to Consider

What should be the basis of our confidence? How is this fundamentally different from humanism?
What is the relationship between God strengthening us and us working hard?
Ultimately, what are we trying to demonstrate by trying to be successful in the Lord?

Notes

Our confidence stems from what God has promised. He promises to strengthen our will in order to produce the work that would please Him; on top of that, He is going to ensure that we finish what we have begun. Humanism is relying on personal resources, without acknowledging or depending on God.
Among several variables, one tangible connection is motivation. God’s strength motivates us to discipline ourselves to work hard and to yield the fruits desired by the Lord.
We aren’t trying to tell the world how great and smart we are; instead, we want the world to know how great and awesome God’s power is to transform broken lives, thereby glorifying Him.

EVENING REFLECTION

How would you describe the day you had? Was it another mundane day? Be silent before God and think through all that has happened today. Perhaps you missed an encouraging voice from the Lord or a desperate cry of help from someone nearby. Pray. Are you down? Remember the story of Pastor Jonathan and choose not to give in to your circumstances. Remember Proverb 24:16b: “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.” Si, se puede en Cristo! (Yes, it can be done in Christ!)

January 11, Wednesday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

What Life is Like for the Families Left Behind in Mexico

Rom. 12:16: Be willing to associate with people of low position.

Ps. 146:9^b: The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless.

Before leaving for Mexico in 2001, I had lived in Southern California for nearly 20 years, during which time I encountered many Mexican men working as farm hands or day-laborers, who regularly sent money to support their families in Mexico. Though I never thought about it then, I would’ve guessed that these families were quite elated upon receiving the money. But a visit to Nealtican, Puebla (near the active volcano “Popocatēpetl”), a small city of 25,000 habitants, forever changed my perception.

I visited Nealtican three times to teach a week-long course to train missionary candidates—the first time being 2003, when I stayed at Juanita’s three story brick house.

A mother of three children, her husband was working in the States as an undocumented immigrant. And I quickly learned why: there were no jobs there. In fact, the mayor of Nealtican, speaking briefly at the inaugural service, asked us to pray for his city because of rampant juvenile delinquency, exacerbated by absent fathers.

While staying there, I got to see what life was like for the families in Mexico of illegal aliens in the States. The children desperately missed their father. Once a week, the family would walk to the nearest public phone and would wait for a call from the States that may not come. During dinner, they would talk about their conversations with their dad, or if he hadn’t called, how they missed him. Listening to this and eating the meals especially prepared for their Korean guest for a week, I thought to myself, “I may not agree with illegal immigration, but I must empathize and show compassion to illegal immigrants.” Wanting to show my appreciation for Juanita, I took the whole family out for a nice dinner before leaving.

By the time I returned to Nealtican in 2007 to teach again, Juanita and the boys had long gone to the States—presumably without proper documents—to join her husband. I was told that the oldest child, a teenage girl when I first met her, married a 40-year old man because he promised her love and security. I felt sad upon hearing that. So it goes in Mexico among the families left behind.

People without proper documents may be illegal before the law, but they are people whom God loves. While the law must do what it is called to do, we ought to be willing to associate with people of low position, such as illegal immigrants, tangibly showing them compassion and encouragement while sharing the gospel of Christ.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for choosing the way of the incarnation to save us, where Jesus became like us in every aspect. You did that not only to save us, but so that we can be assured that Jesus is able to empathize with us, and therefore, go to Him. Thank you!

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 11

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Hebrews 2:17-8: 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. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 4:15-6: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Questions to Consider

In what sense did Christ empathize with us?
How does that help our confidence in Christ’s capacity to really help us?
Think about a person in your life to whom you need to show empathy.

Notes

By becoming a real human, Christ went through all the experiences encountered by every human being. Though never ceasing to be God at any moment, Jesus underwent hunger, fatigue (Jn. 4:6), disappointment (Matt. 26:40; Jn. 14:9), and even anguish (Matt. 26:38). Consequently, Christ, in His humanity, has personal knowledge of what we go through.
Of course, Christ didn’t have be a human being to know what we go through, since He is an all knowing God. Ultimately, then, Christ underwent human experiences so that we can have more confidence in His capacity to really help us.
What was the last painful experience you went through? Look around to see who is going through the same thing. You can empathize with that person better than others.

EVENING REFLECTION

Did you run into anyone who was going through a difficult moment today? Perhaps, you are that person. Before we seek empathy from man, let’s first go to Christ, for He truly understands us. Pray to Him, casting all your cares upon Him.

January 10, Tuesday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Finding God in the Midst of a Long Nightmare

2 Kings 24:15-17 (NIV)

Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother, his wives, his officials and the prominent people of the land. 16 The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans.

Having lived in Mexico for many years, I have many friends there, including two men who were deported from the U.S. after living here for many years as illegal immigrants. One is “Javier” who had lived and worked in California long enough to buy a modest house and raise a family. The other is “Carlos,” a pastor who was held at a detention facility for undocumented aliens for several months before being deported—it was a nightmare for him. Overnight, they lost everything.

I consider them “buenos amigos” and I know how devastating the deportation was for both. Now, I understand that what I’m about to say would make zero sense, even be offensive, to those who don’t adhere to a biblical worldview; but for those who do, realize that deportation was the best thing that could have happened to Javier and Carlos from the standpoint of eternity. How? Javier came to believe in Jesus Christ during the aftermath of deportation and in the midst of a crumbing marriage at a retreat where I was the guest speaker. He would eventually enroll in a local Bible institute and become a leader in the church; once, he seriously considered dropping everything to go to China as a missionary. As for Carlos, after initially taking a factory job to support his family, he met a boss who later helped him to join the largest Baptist church in the city that, in time, installed him as the pastor of its daughter church. (Once, a short-term team from Church of Southland worked with him.)

The Old Testament is not silent on this matter, for many Israelites in antiquity would readily empathize with the likes of Javier and Carlos, because they themselves were deported to Babylonia following its crushing invasions of Judah; most of them would never set foot again on their homeland. One such person was Daniel, who was forcibly taken when he was still a teen. While Javier and Carlos at least were never separated from their families, Daniel would never see his families again. How devastating this experience must have been for Daniel, but when seen through the lens of spirituality, deportation was God’s way of drawing Daniel near to him, so much so that he would later become a great prophet of God, while serving as a top official in three different administrations.

I write this neither to the advocates or denouncers of deportation, but to those who see the world through God’s Word. Jesus says that “in this world you will have trouble” (Jn. 16:32), and often it is through these trials that we learn “not to rely on ourselves but on God” (2 Cor. 1:9). I hope you would agree that being drawn to God (Jn. 6:44) is far better than anything material that America has to offer. Don’t get too enamored by America; instead, go where there is a real need and tell those who think that America is heaven that it isn’t so; then tell them about the mansion Jesus has been preparing (Jn. 14:1-3) for the past 2,000 years for those who has placed their trust in him. Go!

Prayer: Lord, I praise and glorify Your wonderful name. I pray for all the undocumented immigrants held in detention centers in the U.S., that they would turn to You and trust Jesus for their salvation. Please remind those who work in these centers to be civil and decent toward those who are held up. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 10

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Daniel 9:7-8 (ESV): “To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.”

Psalm 137:1-6 (ESV): “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows there we hung up our lyres. 3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! 6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!”

Questions to Consider

According to Prophet Daniel, what is one key reason why God drove out the Israelites to all the lands (i.e., Babylonia)?
Psalm 137 is sung by these Israelites who were forcibly deported to Babylonia. What spiritual effect did this devastating experience have on this once rebellious Israelites? What does this suggest?
Are you going through a difficult moment in your life, like being on the verge of losing your job or marriage? The root (but not necessarily casual) problem may be vertical (you and God), not horizontal. Pray about it.

Note

Daniel minced no words here: the treachery (NIV: “unfaithfulness”) that the Israelites committed against God. In verse 5, Daniel adds, “We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name.”
This Psalm indicates that the Jewish deportees had repented: whereas before they drew away from God, now they longed to sing the LORD’s song in Babylonia. This suggests that trials and difficult moments can draw us nearer to God.
Personal response.

EVENING REFLECTION

We began the day talking about undocumented workers who occupy the low end of the social ladder. So, before you look for one to shower him or her with compassion, why not start with people in your life whose job is to serve you, like your employees or people who work in the service industry. Paul says, “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited” (Rom. 12:16). How did you fare today? Were you proud and arrogant? Or were you humble and compassionate? Only you know—and God. Why not pray for a better living tomorrow.

January 9, Monday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Those Who Go Back for Reasons the World Will Never Understand

Ezra 1:2-5 (ESV)

“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: . . . 3 ‘Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.’ 5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem.”

I first met Jaime Echaveste, a middle-aged man and a father of four children, in the mid-2000s when I spoke to a Hispanic congregation in Southern California. That day, I talked about how God told the Israelites, exiled in Babylonia and Persia for nearly 70 years, to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Lord’s temple that had been destroyed. I noted that those who returned possessed two things that they didn’t when they were first taken to Babylonia: faith and money.

First, it was because of Israel’s faithlessness, “hav[ing] turned away from [God’s] commands and laws” (Dan. 9:5), that God allowed her to “become a desolate wasteland” (Jer. 25:11). Yet, it was during the captivity that the Israelites returned to God, weeping and longing to “sing the songs of the LORD” (Ps. 137:4); their faith in God had been renewed.

Second, whereas they came to Babylonia with nothing in their pockets, they now possessed plenty of gold and silver. Unlike the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, the Jews in Babylonia were allowed to carve out a decent living; in fact, these returnees shelled out about $20 million worth of gold toward the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 2:69).

Against the backdrop of this narrative, I pointed out to my audience, made up mostly of Mexican immigrants, how they first came to the U.S. without faith and money, but now they have both: faith in Christ and more money than they ever had, just like the Jews exiled in Babylonia. At that moment, after reading Ezra 1:5—“Everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem”—I challenged my Mexican brothers and sisters, saying, “Return to your country and rebuild it with the gospel and the money the Lord gave you.” Although some shouted, “Amen,” I wasn’t entirely sure whether they really heard what was said, but Jamie certainly heard. After the service, he shared with me how the Lord told him to return to his homeland in Jalisco, Mexico, to preach the gospel. In a later newsletter, he wrote, “On Monday we said goodbye to our home of 15 years. It was painful for some of us, yet we know that God is the One who is directing our life, Amen.”

Some people will never understand why anyone would leave the comforts of an American lifestyle to serve in parts of Mexico that are exceedingly dangerous and unreceptive to the gospel. Are you one of them? Listen—don’t buy the hype that living in America is the ultimate high; it is not, but serving the Lord is. Whether you are an immigrant or not, pray about going to somewhere in this world where what little we know and possess can be stretched to bless hundreds and thousands of people who do not know Christ.

Prayer: Lord, I’m so thankful that You became a man to bear our sins so that Your death on the cross could be the perfect atonement for us. What, then, could we not do for Your sake? May the gospel and the wealth that You gave us be reinvested into the rebuilding of broken lives in this world. We pray for Jaime and his family that their labor of love may result in abundant harvests in Mexico. Please protect and provide for them, especially the children. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 9

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Jeremiah 29:10-4 (NIV): “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Questions to Consider

Why do you think Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most quoted verses by evangelicals?
Since these once “poverty-stricken” Jewish exiles in Babylonia had amassed enough gold to contribute 20 million dollars worth of it to the rebuilding of the temple, what is one key purpose behind God’s blessing and favor in our lives?
Based on how you have been managing your wealth, does your life agree with your response to question 2?

Note

Without any consideration to the context of Jeremiah 29, this verse can easily be construed as God wanting to prosper us materially, and we simply enjoying it. No wonder we love it!
Evidently, wealth was given to these Jews so that, besides enjoying it, it could be used to rebuild the temple. 1 Timothy 6:17 says, “Put [your] hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. . .. Do good, . . . be rich in good deeds, . . .be generous and willing to share.”
Personal response

EVENING REFLECTION

You are likely a child or grandchild of immigrants. Would you say you are better off economically and even spiritually (e.g., having more knowledge about the Bible, for instance) than they? What are you doing with what has been given to you to better the spiritual and physical lives of others? Would you give it some thought and prayer; perhaps, it is the time for you to make a decision like the one made by Jaime Echaveste who continues to serve in Mexico.

January 8, Sunday

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals for January 7-8 are provided by Tina Hsu. She is a graduate of Biola University and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.) and currently serves in E. Asia as a preaching intern.

Pastor Ryun’s series will return on Monday.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Fasting Anyone?

Luke 5:33-35 (NASB)

And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.

Isaiah 58:6 (NASB)

“Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke?”

Every new year, I look forward to fasting and praying with my church for the first several days of January as a way to seek the Lord. What frightens me, though, as the new year approaches is that when the fast begins, I will have to temporarily separate myself from coffee, which I have grown to rely on too much on a daily basis. However, I can count this challenge a blessing, for it pushes me to rely on God and to consider the rich purpose of this spiritual practice.

Having criticized Jesus and His disciples for dining with “tax collectors and sinners,” the Pharisees now criticize Jesus for the lack of spiritual practices that he teaches his disciples, judging them as unholy and less righteous than the disciples of other teachers.

Jesus’ response implies that they have actually misunderstood the appropriate season for fasting. In addition, they have fasted for the sake of appearing holy, while missing the real essence of fasting.

Because Jesus’ appearance marks the arrival of God’s kingdom, Jesus is calling it a time of feasting and joy, similar to the sounds of joy and celebration at wedding feasts. But when Jesus is “taken away,” through the cross, resurrection, and ascension, then it will be appropriate to fast regularly as an expression of hope and anticipation.

Regular fasting is an expression unto God of our anticipation for the second coming of Jesus Christ, and for focusing our bodies, mind, and heart to remain faithful and to be found faithful when Christ appears. It helps us focus on eternal things and gives us a chance us shed off the temporary things we have learned to rely on or chase after.

Fasting is pleasing to God, when we attach it with daily reliance on God (Lk. 4:4: “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.”) and acts of justice and mercy (Is. 58:6). But if it is a way to claim self-righteousness or to build our outward appearance of holiness, it is an empty act and not a pleasing act unto God. (Lk. 18:11-12 “The Pharisee standing by himself prayed thus…I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all I get”). However, as you begin this new year by engaging in spiritual disciplines, I pray and hope that your prayers and fasting will not be an end in itself but a means to meet with the Lord and to draw close to Him.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, help me not to pray and fast for the sake of doing spiritual things, but for the sake of yielding and relying on You as the Lord of my life. I anticipate the day when I will celebrate with joy with brothers and sisters at Your glorious coming, when we see You face to face. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 8

January 7, Saturday

Pastor Ryun’s series will return on Monday.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Encountering Grace After Making all the Wrong Choices

Luke 5:27-32 (NASB)

After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me.” And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him. And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, ” It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

This short account of Levi’s calling (also known as Matthew) and life after responding to Jesus shows us that Levi had a genuine encounter with grace, leading him to true repentance and transformation. When Jesus personally approached Levi at his tax booth, Levi met someone who was ready to embrace him and to give him a chance to start new again.

Prior to this encounter, Levi made a decision that consequently led the Jews to alienate and despise him. He had become a tax collector, working on behalf of the Roman Empire. We don’t know what drove him to do this. He could’ve been driven by greed, or perhaps he had lost hope and grew impatient with God because although the Jews were living in the Promised Land, they were still a powerless vassal state under Roman rule. While some Jews continued to worship God and to patiently wait for the Messiah to restore Israel, Levi and many others decided to pursue a more gratifying life in their eyes. For this reason, the religious leaders, though having heart issues of their own, saw people like Levi as unholy and displeasing to God.

When Levi realized that the life he had chosen left him empty, he had no social avenue to return back to the Lord. If he went to the temple, synagogue, or a table to dine with the Jews, the religious leaders in particular would not receive him well. When Jesus approached him at the tax booth and said, “Follow Me,” Levi knew that the God of Israel had personally reached out His hand to him. Jesus accepted Levi and gave him an opportunity to return back to God. Being touched by grace, Levi later became an avenue for many other socially alienated tax collectors to encounter Jesus, as he opened his home to host Jesus and those who needed Jesus’ love and forgiveness.

Oftentimes, when I am doing ministry or praying for a non-believing family member or friend, I become weary and impatient if I don’t see change or growth after a span of time. But I am reminded through Levi’s transformation that only the grace of Jesus brings about a genuine change in people—a transformation that is not man-made, but Spirit-led, that reveals God’s glory.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your passion for the lost and for convicting me to have the same heart as Yours. You not only have the desire, but You also have the power and grace to draw people to Yourself. As I serve You, please help me to rely on You and to boast in Your ability and power, and not in my own. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 6-7

January 6, Friday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

What Life is like for Undocumented Immigrants

Heb. 11:13^b-14, 16 (NIV)

And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. . . 16 They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.

In February of 2016, just before my greyhound bus left for Bakersfield from Los Angeles (a 3-hour ride), I was told that my connection bus, which would have taken me to the small city where I was scheduled to preach the next day at a Hispanic church, was cancelled. I quickly called the host pastor, who was returning from a conference in Nevada, to see if he could pick me up. Fortunately, I only waited an hour before the pastor, along with his congregant (“Hugo”), arrived to collect me. Later, we dropped off Hugo at his weather-beaten, single-story house; he seemed eager to get home, mostly because his wife just had their second child.

The year before, I was surprised to find out that Hugo, who speaks English well and doesn’t have many Hispanic features, was originally from Mexico. During this visit, I learned that Hugo and his wife are illegal aliens, who have lived in the States for nearly 20 years. Constantly living in fear of deportation, the only jobs Hugo can find consist of backbreaking farm work that pay just enough to fund a small mortgage and put food on the table. I also learned that many in this community are in the same predicament: always anxious, suspicious of new people, and stuck in a dead-end job. I’m not exactly a bleeding-heart liberal, but my heart went out for them all.

So, what do you, as a theological conservative who does not support illegal immigration, say to them from the pulpit? I didn’t tell them to go home, because this is, in effect, their home. There are border patrol agents whose job is to enforce immigration laws; while we pray for their safety, my call as a minister of the gospel is wholly different. Whenever I get to share God’s Word before Hispanic congregations in America, I remind them of this: “We have all have made mistakes, but God forgives us in Christ. If God has so convicted you, you can return home and share the gospel with your families and friends, steeped in syncretistic Catholicism. And whenever you feel fearful, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus’” (Phi. 4:7-8).

Now, there is one scriptural teaching that Hugo needs no reminder of; in fact, he may be way ahead of us: “He made his home . . . like a stranger in a foreign country. . .. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10). But, for us, because life in America is so comfortable, we live as if this is our destination. May we, like Hugo, “admit[] that [we] are aliens and strangers on earth” (v. 13). Let us then live and serve the Lord accordingly all the while “longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (v. 16).

Hugo was always attentive whenever I taught. His pastor was counting on him to step up to leadership and he seemed excited about the opportunity. So, I prayed for him, calling upon the Lord to prepare Hugo for fruitful labor that would bring true hope in Christ to those who live with fear in his community.

Prayer: Lord, while we may pity those who face a bleak future, doing difficult work to make a living, perhaps it’s us who are to be pitied, since we see life in America as heaven and death as an interruption. Please heal our spiritual blindness so that we may live for God wholeheartedly. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 5

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read 1 Peter 2:11-2 (NIV): Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Questions to Consider

According to Peter, in what sense are we to be aliens and strangers in the world?
As aliens and strangers, what proactive things does Peter command us to do?
Most of us don’t think much about the plights of illegal aliens. Now, while there are some in this group, like in a larger society, who are difficult to embrace (e.g., criminals), most of them came here illegally for the same reason most of our ancestors came legally—to provide a better life for their children. As aliens in this world, what would it mean to live such good lives among them?

Notes

We are to distinguish ourselves from the ways of the world: unethical manners in which businesses are conducted, immoral ways in which pleasures are pursued, heartless treatment of those who are deemed expendable and unimportant.
While retreating from the ways of the world, we are also told to move forward to distinguish ourselves as aliens and strangers in the world, living good lives among the unbelievers and producing good deeds that would glorify God.
Let’s suppose that you hired a person as a day-laborer, whom you guessed to be an illegal alien, to work in your yard. In that context, living such good lives would mean paying him a fair wage. What do you think (James 5:1-6)?

EVENING REFLECTION

We began the morning devotional talking about the fears of illegal aliens, especially those who have lived in the States for a long time. Let’s not kid ourselves—we ourselves have plenty of fears of being found out. Perhaps you’ve heard of the impostor syndrome—it’s when people believe their achievements are fraudulent, which causes them to fear that one day, others might learn of their incompetence. What fears do you secretly harbor? I invite you to go to the Lord right now for a fast and long-lasting relief; and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with those who are trustworthy and truly care.

January 5, Thursday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Sanctuary Cities at the Crossroad of Compassion and Justice

Joshua 20:1-3 (ESV)

Then the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood.”

The Yali people, pygmy cannibals in Papua, Indonesia, and several tribes living near them have had an interesting custom. Once a man fleeing from his enemies enters the place called Osuwa, he is immediately granted protection and safety—no one could touch him, much less hurt him as long as he stays there. The cities of refuge in ancient Israel served a similar purpose: God told the elders of those cities to admit anyone who kill[ed] a person accidently and unintentionally “into the city and give him a place to live with them. If the avenger . . . pursues him, they must not surrender the one accused” (Joshua 20:5).

What would, then, be the closest thing to Osuwa or cities of refuge in our country? To the advocates of undocumented immigrants, it may be “sanctuary city”—a safe harbor to illegal aliens, since special municipal provisions allow people to “avoid cooperating with federal immigrant law enforcement authorities.” So, what will you do if immigration agents are knocking on your door, upon finding out that you are harboring an illegal alien?

Henri Nouwen, in The Wounded Healer, tells a story of a young fugitive kept hidden by people of a small village. When the soldiers threatened to kill them for not handing him over, they turned to their minister who, upon reading the verse, “It is better that one man dies than that the whole people be lost” (Jn. 18:14), advised the people to do just that. That evening, the minister, still saddened by his decision, was visited by an angel, who said, “Don’t you know that you have handed over the Messiah?” When the minister asked, “How could I know,” the angel said, “If, instead of reading your Bible, you had visited this young man just once and looked into his eyes, you would have known.”

What a powerful story, but does this make my question any easier to respond? No, not really. As compassionate believers, being mindful of God’s command to “not mistreat [alien] . . . love him as yourself” (Lev. 19:33-4), we may help an undocumented father or mother on the run. However, as believers who see “governors” as “sent by [God] to punish those who do wrong” (1 Pet. 2:14), we may also turn over illegal aliens who have committed crimes. After all, not everyone was welcomed to the city of refuge, for its protection didn’t extend to those who committed crimes premeditatively.

To those who see the entire world in black and white, this isn’t an adequate answer; however, over disputable matters, we study Scripture, pray earnestly, and then follow our heart wherein lives the Holy Spirit. We may, therefore, find ourselves hiding or reporting illegal aliens. In either case, instead of name calling (“xenophobic”) to shame one another, we respect each other’s view, even as we may voice our disagreements. “Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light . . . the motives of men’s heart” (1 Cor. 4:5).

Prayer: Dear God, I praise and honor You this morning. Please give me wisdom and courage over disputable matters so that my decision will not result in being sanctimonious, accusing and labeling those who disagree with me. Help me to love the weak and the helpless, and also uphold the laws of the land. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 4

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Rom. 8:1 (NIV): Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Matt. 11:28-9: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Heb. 9:28, 10:28: So Christ was sacrificed once and to take away the sins of many people. . .. And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.

Questions to Consider

“The cities of refuge,” a temporary rest for those who did wrong in the Old Testament, foreshadowed God’s permanent provision in Christ for the forgiveness of wrongdoers. Theologically, why is the rest granted in the New Testament superior to that of the Old Testament?
How was the better rest made available in Christ realized theologically?
What would you say to an undocumented worker running from the law who does not know Jesus?

Note

The rest available in Christ is far superior, because those who are in Christ are no longer condemned, and their sins are permanently forgiven by God because of the atoning death of His Son. Thus, in Christ, we can truly find rest for our weary souls.
This superior rest was made available to us, because Christ’s sacrifice took away our sins once and all, thereby making any further sacrifice for sin completely unnecessary.
An example: “As long as you don’t believe in what Christ has done for you, you’re actually running from God. You can stop running by placing your trust in Christ. Whether to return to your country is something you ought to pray about, as you are being instructed in the word, and then follow your conscience.”

EVENING REFLECTION

As you look back to this day, were you involved in any argument or intense discussion over a disputable issue? How did you handle it? What does the way you handled it reveal about yourself?

Meditate on Romans 15:1-2, 7 and pray for God’s wisdom and strength to do better tomorrow.

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For Christ did not please himself, . . . 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

January 4, Wednesday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Open Borders or Walls?

Numbers 21:22-3 (NIV)

Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites: 22 “Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.

Having crossed different US-Mexico borders hundreds of times in several states, I’ve seen tall fences and even walls. So, President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to build a wall along the 2,000-mile US-Mexico border isn’t an entirely new idea. In contrast, some push for open-borders, while others advocate—in effect—a similar stance by opposing measures aimed to curve illegal immigration. Regrettably, Trump’s wall (a logistic nightmare) beclouds the more fundamental question of whether America, as a sovereign country, has the right to secure its borders. How should a believer think on this matter?

Last September, there was nothing out of the ordinary as I applied for a visa to enter this E. Asia country for the umpteenth time, until the replay came a day later—the $25 visa fee had jumped five times! I was upset but that’s as far as it went: to enter any country as a foreigner, you must play by their rules, not yours. You don’t have to like it and that’s your prerogative; sovereign states can place any stipulations they deem justifiable and that’s their prerogative. A sovereign state has the right to admit only those who satisfy the requirements placed on them, even if they seem unfair to the outsiders. The U.S. has that right inasmuch as Mexico who guards her southern borders with Guatemala very tightly.

State sovereignty is not a new concept—just ask Moses who, as the leader of a new nation on the move (from Egypt to Canaan) in the 15^th century B.C., clearly understood that the Israelites couldn’t just barge into the sovereign state of the Amorites. Therefore, he asked King Sihon for an official permit to pass through his land, assuring the king that they would not to take any of his nation’s resources. The fact that Sihon still perceived Israel as a hostile entity makes sense geopolitically, prompting him to defend his nation’s border.

Having immigrated from S. Korea as a teenager in 1974 and now a naturalized U.S. citizen, the Lord has blessed my life in America, a nation that has enjoyed God’s favor for a long time: its educational system, freedom to worship and job market are equal to none. No wonder so many people desire to come to this land of opportunity any way they can. That, however, does not mean that anyone outside of this sovereign state has the right to cross the border illegally, without passport or visa. Some of us can dedicate ourselves to be an advocate of change so that more people can enter this nation legally; but to call U.S. an anti-immigrant and xenophobic country for not permitting open borders is to hold America to a different standard not applied to other nations.

Having said all this, as kingdom people, we have good news to proclaim to those around us: that God breaks down the “dividing wall of hostility” among men (Eph. 2:14), because the veil separating all of us from a holy God has long been torn in two by Christ (Heb. 10:19). Set your goals high: long to be a citizen of heaven (Phil. 3:20)—a far better place than America.

Prayer: Father, as our nation is going through many tumultuous changes, please help us, the believers, to be clear- minded and not “think” emotionally. Please help us to be smarter when it comes to thinking about our sociopolitical issues. And help us to love and respect those with whom we disagree. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 3

LUNCH BREAK STUDY

Read Deuteronomy 2:30-3: But Sihon the king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him, for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, that he might give him into your hand, as he is this day. 31 And the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to take possession, that you may occupy his land.’ 32 Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Jahaz. 33 And the Lord our God gave him over to us, and we defeated him and his sons and all his people . . ..

James 1:13-4: When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.

Questions to Consider

When Sihon refuses to let the Israelites pass, God reveals to Moses His plan, which meant that Israel needed to respond militarily to Sihon’s attack. James 1:13 says that God does not tempt anyone but here, it says that God hardened the spirit of Sihon. What do you think happened first?
Geopolitically speaking, how would you describe what happened here? In other words, what is the worst way to settle any border dispute? (Those of you who are old enough remember, does Falkland Islands debacle ring a bell?).
What is one sure way to make certain that we do not reach a point where God hardens our heart (Rom. 1:24-6; 2 Thess. 2:11-2)?

Note

God does not harden our hearts first. In the case of Sihon, it was he who first decided to be inhospitable toward Moses, who merely had asked for a “pass”. Sihon immediately launched an all out war against a people who merely wanted to pass through. Only when this king wouldn’t relent from his ill-advised attack, did God harden his heart so that he would be defeated in the ensuing in war, thereby accomplishing God’s objective.
The worst way to settle any border dispute is war, of course, and there have been many wars fought over this matter, including the battle fought between England and Argentina over the Falkland Islands in the 1980s. To the advocates of open border and/or illegal immigration, building a wall appears to be the final straw—I wonder how they feel about the Great Wall of China.
Repentance! Don’t play with this thing. In the spiritual world, if you insist on being an recalcitrant sinner, then God would remove His protection over you—which means the enemy, who prowls around like a roaring enemy looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8), will get a piece of you.

EVENING REFLECTION

Whether we like it or not, Donald Trump will be our next president—and the whole world knows about his many flaws. So, why don’t we start praying that our next president will experience a profound spiritual change. If the wicked king Manasseh was not outside of God’s reach (2 Chron. 33:12-3), then, the President-elect is well within God’s range of encountering His grace. We, as Bible believing Christians, should cease from taking our cues from the media and academia that clearly have a different vision for what constitutes justice, freedom, and free speech; instead, let’s start listening to God who commands us to pray for “kings all those in authority” (1 Tim. 2:2).

January 3, Tuesday

Disclaimer: The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the respective views of AMI pastors.

Devotional Thought for Today

Introduction 2: “Seeing Gray in a World of Black & White,” or is it “Seeing Black & White in a Gray World”?

Romans 14:5-8^a, 10, 12 (ESV)

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. . ..

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. . .. 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

I first saw the image of the infamous duck/rabbit in a book touting the merits of postmodernism, a worldview that sees the world as ambiguous, as shades of gray; unsurprisingly, the book saw the picture as not a duck or rabbit but both. The other image shows a world of black and white, colors that represent an unambiguous world with absolute objective truths and values where things often cannot be true simultaneously. One or the other must be true or false.

How do you see the world? Most of us reading this blog see the world as black and white. You may protest, but if your answer to “Is Jesus the only way to salvation?” is “yes” (Acts 4:12; Jn. 14:6), then you do. Nonetheless, today’s passage indicates that not all issues are that clear. These are called “disputable” matters and believers are instructed to treat two or more opposing positions as equally rational. In the church in Rome, the two disputable matters were, first, whether to eat kosher (the traditional Jews said “no” while the liberated ones said “yes”), and second, whether to observe certain Jewish holy days. Paul then reminds the believers, each having formed a position based on his or her own conviction, not to belittle or despise those with whom they disagree; ultimately, it is God who will judge them all and the views they hold.

What about social issues? While the scriptural positions on matters such as abortion (Ps. 139:13-4) and homosexuality (Rom. 1:26-7; 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10) may seem quite clear, the recent election highlighted several social issues that are not clearly delineated in Scripture. Two election issues that riled up many Americans were President-elect Donald Trump’s stances on “illegal immigration” and the inflow of Muslim refugees. Certainly, dismissing Trump’s generalization that “illegal immigrants are killing thousands of people” is easy, but is it xenophobic to oppose illegal immigration itself? It is good that we understand Muslim Americans who feel threatened by Trump’s proposal to create a Muslim registry, but is it Islamophobic to desire better security measures to discourage some Muslims in the US from becoming violently radicalized and keeping the radicalized ones from entering America?

How should Christians think concerning these matters? Should we care? Yes, of course, for there are over 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the US, half of whom come from Mexico; there are over 2.6 million Muslims in the States (2010) whose population is expected to more than double by 2030.

While illegal immigration and keeping radicalized Muslim refugees from entering the US may be a law and order matter to politicians, we must also bring our hearts into such issues—that is to say that understanding intellectual as well as emotional matters in such controversies are both important. Having lived in Mexico for a decade and preached in several Hispanic churches in America, I have friends in Mexico who were deported, losing everything in the process; I’ve shared meals with illegal immigrants in the States who live in constant fear; I even stayed an entire week with a lonesome family in Mexico without a household father because he had long left home in search of a job in America. As for Muslims, I have travelled to several Islamic countries multiple times, which has led me to sometimes disagree with those who say Muslims are particularly more violent. All I saw were regular people busy making a living, presumably to put food on the table for their kids.

As we explore these and other matters as part of January devotionals, I hope you give some serious thought and prayer to such things and perhaps even begin a dialogue with unauthorized immigrants and Muslims in your neighborhood. The world is changing; thus, it’s imperative that we respond biblically and compassionately—armed with God’s eternal truth, led by the Spirit, and undergirded by the love of Christ.

Prayer: Father, as our nation is going through many tumultuous changes, please help us, the believers, to be clear minded and not “think” only emotionally. Please help us to be wise and cogent when it comes to thinking about social issues. And help us to love and respect those with whom we disagree. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Kings 2

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:33 (ESV):“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.”

Mt. 10:34: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Heb. 11:6a: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists.”

Ps. 14:1a: “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

1 Cor. 13:9-10: “For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” (I agree with John MacArthur who sees “the perfect” as heaven.)

Questions to Consider

Which pair of the above passages is a matter of both/and, that is, statements which appear to be contradictory but are to be accepted as equally true?
Which pair of the above passages is a matter of either/or, that is, if one is true, then its opposite is necessarily false?
Based on 1 Cor. 13:9-10, should we believe that our own view is always right while those of others are not?

Notes

Both John 16:33 that says in Jesus we may have peace (since his atoning death appeased God’s wrath aimed at sinners—Rom. 5:1), and Matthew 10:34 that says Jesus came to gives us a sword (i.e., “God opposes the proud”—James 4:6), are to be accepted as equally valid.
While Hebrews 11:6 that says “God exists” is to be accepted, its opposite, “There is no God,” is to be rejected as invalid. Note that the more essential an issue, the Scriptures pronounce that a matter of either/or.
We must realize that while living on earth, our knowledge is limited by human finiteness and sinfulness. We know some things but not everything, and what we think we know is not always accurate or complete. Stay humble.

Evening Reflection

Before turning in the night, ask God for a compassionate heart toward those who live in fear (and not just illegal immigrants or Muslims). If you are that person, remember that “perfect love drives out fear” (1 Jn. 4:18) and God’s love for you is perfect.

Ask God for wisdom to really grapple with these disputable social issues. Make a request to the Lord for a right attitude that does not unfairly judge those with whom you disagree over disputable matters. Remember what the apostle Paul says under the Spirit’s inspiration: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Rom. 15:7).