Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for August 8-14 are provided by Christine Li. Christine graduated from University of Pennsylvania and currently lives and works in New York City. She attends Remnant Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 5:7 “’Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

One of my favorite books growing up was Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. If you’ve never read it (and I highly recommend you do), it tells the story of a pig, Wilbur, and how his spider friend Charlotte helps him avoid getting turned into bacon. When Wilbur first finds out what he is doomed for, he goes into a series of hysterics and is utterly helpless. If not for the calm and steady intervention of Charlotte and other friends, he would have had no fighting chance.

I find it very interesting that one of the reasons (or excuses) made by the man at the pool is that there has been no one around to help him. It might make you wonder whether this man was truly desperate to be healed. After all, with thirty-eight years in this condition and these stakes, one might expect him to take a little more initiative. He could have stayed closer to the pool and clambered in as soon as there was a chance to get healed.

But on the other hand, we can also identify strongly with his condition. When we are stuck in our weaknesses or completely helpless, what we want more than anything is for a friend to be right there alongside us. Whether or not that friend can actually restore us, we receive comfort and strengthening from others who wait along with us in our condition.

One purpose of living in community is so that we can carry each other to places of healing. If you’re currently waiting for the Lord to answer, don’t be ashamed to place yourself in a position of needing others. And if you are well, pray for God to open your eyes to opportunities to help others along.

Prayer: Father, thank You that we have communities to bear burdens with. Help us to be people who are present in each another’s sufferings. Teach us to bring others to You, for You are our greatest and ultimate source of healing.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 136

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 Corinthians 12:21-26:  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Questions to Consider

1. According to this passage, God has created individuals in different capacities. Why should the members bother getting along in the first place?
2. What is significant that God Himself put “presentable” and “unpresentable” parts together to form the body?
3. Many parts in the body can function independently of one another (think: your left foot doesn’t need your ear to work). Why then, should each part have “concern for one another”? What would it look like for us to take this to heart?

Notes

1. Because the church is made up of brothers and sisters with different giftings and purposes, we understand that each person is significant in the eyes of God. While the ”eye” is very distinct from the ”ear,” brothers and sisters in the church teach us different facets of God’s grace and His character. They also fill up what is lacking with our blind spots and weaknesses.
2. “Presentability” is a value that we have made up with our own human frame of reference – we lift up or downplay certain parts, depending on whether we want them to attract attention. However, even if we deemed gifts or others “less honorable,” God has a special care for the overlooked. He puts them in the body so that they will all share in the honor that He bestows.
3. Even though the members can work independently, God made all essential to completing the body – the overall health of the body is the most important consideration. If one part is unhealthy, it affects the quality of life for all the other members.

Evening Reflection  

What are your feelings about caring for others in the community? Has God opened your heart to certain individuals that you could take an active role in loving? Let’s pray for God to show us how we can be sources of encouragement and life to one another.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for August 8-14 are provided by Christine Li. Christine graduated from University of Pennsylvania and currently lives and works in New York City. She attends Remnant Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 5:2-6 “Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie — the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.  5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

The last time I was at a basketball game, my family and I had a good time laughing at the Dance Cams and Kiss Cams. Part of the fun comes from watching the people on the big screen; another part is half-hoping and half-dreading that you might get picked. There are always people wildly participating, all with hopes that the cameraman will notice and broadcast them. But in a crowd of so many people, chances are that they will slip his notice.

Shifting now to a completely different environment, we might be able to imagine the same type of chaos at Bethesda. Can you imagine dozens of people showing up day after day, publicly acknowledging their needs? Not only would someone have to find some personal space in that kind of crowd, they would have had to jostle for attention to get a shot at healing. How discouraging it would be to get passed over day after day. When would it finally be their turn?

Sometimes it seems like we are similarly lost in a crowd of many people. Even among Christians, we might feel that our concerns are overlooked or on-hold. We know with our minds that God is with us, but it feels as though He is busy with everybody else’s lives. We tend to project human limitations onto God and live as if He’s passed over or lost track of us.

As this story shows us, our God is neither short-sighted nor unaware. Instead, our God sees us even when we are in a throng of people. He knows our condition and comes to meet us directly! No matter what type of chaos you find yourself starting off with this week, let’s remind ourselves that He is near. His eye is on you, He is wholly attentive to what you are going through, and He Himself draws near to you.

Prayer: Father, I know You are with me. You do not pass over or forget me, even if I am one of billions on this Earth. Remind me that You are a perfect shepherd with an eye on me. Help me to trust and see that You are present in every circumstance I face.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 135

Lunch Break Study 

Read Genesis 28:10-17:  Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.13 There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

Questions to Consider

1. Jacob encounters God on this journey fleeing from home. What type of encounter did Jacob have (versus one he may have expected)?
2. What is the significance of God’s blessing for Jacob in verses 13-14?
3. In addition to the blessing of abundance, what are the additional promises God gives Jacob? Is this a promise that we can partake in?

Notes

1. Jacob, as a fugitive and having stolen the blessing from Esau, might have dreaded punishment in the presence of God. However, God does not condemn him but, in mercy, reveals Himself to Jacob.
2. Jacob receives promises for future hope: numerous descendants, land for those descendants, and the opportunity to be a source of blessing to the earth. This is the favor that he tried to secure through deception; however, God Himself now confers the blessing onto Jacob. God has confirmed that it belongs to him.
3. Isaac could only bless Jacob’s propserity and future descendants. However, God ups the ante by promising His continued presence through the fulfilling of the the blessing. God’s promise extends through generations. Since we are spiritual descendants of Jacob, we get to partake in the promises of God’s provision and presence.

Evening Reflection  

Today’s passages were about trusting that God is present in (and attentive to) our lives. Did you sense His presence or His hand in your daily living? Look towards tomorrow – let’s ask that He will impress upon us greater awareness of where He is.

Editor’s Note: Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written by Pastor Ulysses Wang.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 2:20-23

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

I once lived in an apartment with termites.  I didn’t know we had termites, until one day my foot suddenly stepped right through the wooden floor.  Up until that point everything looked normal – the wood was shiny and clean.  What I couldn’t see, however, was that everything below the shiny veneer had been slowly eaten away until the floor could no longer support my weight.  I think this is a good illustration of what Paul describes here in his letter to the Colossians.  They were impressed and taken in by folks who seemed spiritual because of their harsh treatment of the flesh.  The problem, however, was that such treatment was in no way indicative of true spirituality, which lies in the state of one’s heart.  I believe that the Colossian problem is not unfamiliar to us today.  Millennials are quick to pass on the heart-changing truth of the gospel for a soft-spoken “guru” dressed in eastern mystical garb.  What looks spiritual is oftentimes powerless to change our lives.  Simpson and Bruce explain what Paul means by “the flesh”:

“When they commended harsh usage of the body as a specific against fleshly indulgence, they thought in terms of the Greek antithesis between body and soul.  But this is not Paul’s thought.  When he speaks of ‘unsparing treatment of the body’ he means the body in its ordinary sense; but when he speaks of ‘indulgence of the flesh’ he means the old Adam-nature in its rebellion against God.”[1]

I think that as Christians, we, too, can be lulled by our own external appearance of spirituality into a false sense of security.  Whether due to a title, i.e. pastor, elder, leader, etc., church attendance or the collection of Christian books on our bookshelves, we let these superficial aspects of our faith become definitive.  But Jesus had only one criterion for real spirituality: the things that flow from our heart.  In Matthew 15, Jesus was confronted with similar hypocrisy in regards to the ceremonial washing of hands, to which He responded: “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”  Going on, Jesus then declared, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.”

To guard against such error, it would be helpful to ask oneself these questions every once in a while: “Who would I be if my title were to be taken away?  Is God active in the areas of my life that others do not see, such as my thoughts?  What things do I do when no one is around?”  Such questions dig through the veneer and force us to confront the true state of our heart.

Prayer: God, help me to know that just because other people think I’m ok doesn’t necessarily mean that I am ok, because there’s so much that others do not see.  Help me to be brutally honest with myself and with You.  Challenge me in any area of my life where my heart has grown cold, hypocritical or complacent.  Help my lips to be in sync with my heart, so that my worship and lifestyle may be true.  Amen.

[1] E.K. Simpson, E.K. and F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians (New International Commentary, Marshall, Morgan & Scott/Eerdmans, 1957) p.256

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 134

Editor’s Note: Today’s AMI QT Devotional is provided by Joanna Tzen.  Joanna graduated from U. Penn and currently works in Philadelphia.  She is married Paul Tzen, and they attend Grace Covenant Church.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 6:5-9

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

This passage of Jesus feeding the five thousand is familiar to many of us, which is also chronicled in Matthew 14 and Mark 6. Matthew 14:14 tells us that Jesus had compassion for the crowd, but Mark 6:34 adds that it was because they were like sheep without a shepherd. From reading this chapter (John 10), we can see how the sheep responded to the teachings of the Good Shepherd. As a result of His compassion, Jesus stayed to teach the crowds, but at the end of a long day, He also wanted to provide for their physical needs. When He asks Philip to provide, Philip is incredulous and immediately calculates the cost—even though he knows Jesus is with him and is able to work miracles. However, a small boy pipes up that he has food, even though it can maybe feed only one small family.

I am the sort of person who worries often and calculates; so I can relate with Philip when he looks at the circumstances or mountains more than the One who moves the mountains (Matt. 17:20). It is not that counting the cost is bad, as Jesus does urge us to count the cost of being disciples (Luke 14:25-33). However, when we offer what we have, like the young boy did, we trust with a child-like dependence and faith that Jesus can make the impossible possible.

If you are like me and Philip, maybe you can ask the Lord to help you see which mountains He wants you to depend on Him to move. If you know a Philip, maybe you can pray and encourage that person to have a child-like faith and know that Jesus can be trusted.

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for my lack of faith, and help me to see how You are trustworthy. As today is a new day, filled with new mercies (Lam. 3:22-23), I pray that Your Holy Spirit would enable me to better remember Your character and promises.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 132-133

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from August 3-5 are corroborated by Jee Lee, who attends Remnant Westside Church in NYC, and Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth

We Christians love to learn, preferably in a classroom setting.  However, some of the best lessons about God are learned beyond the four walls of the church, especially when we simply respond to situations to which the Holy Spirit leads us.  And that’s what happened to Jee, who, despite his initial hesitation, approached a perfect stranger to share the gospel.  He writes:

“There are many things God has taught me through this.  For a while, I’ve been wanting to be a better communicator, to be able to present the gospel effectively like famous preachers.  In reality, however, I find myself stumbling over words and barely getting out what’s in my heart.  But God is teaching me that He is my help, to trust in His words and not mine.  Through my inadequacy, He is showing me how good He really is.  Perhaps He is growing my faith.

“Though sharing the gospel can look different in various places of the world, God is teaching me the common denominator: that He uses us, His people, the church, as vessels to share the good news. Just because God used the Bible to meet me when I was in India, it does not mean He will meet everyone in that way. Isn’t it true that many Muslims have come to believe after seeing Jesus in a vision?  But the common denominator is His people. He has given us legs to reach them, ears to hear, a mouth to declare, and a heart to love. Perhaps this is the link between Jesus and His bride and the Great Commission.  God is teaching me “The Word became flesh” applies to Jesus first but to His bride as well, in whom He resides.

“God has brought me from my birthplace in Montgomery, Alabama, with a population of 200,000 people, to New York City, where close to 9 million live—all made in His image. And God has brought you where you live; and there are many people there who have not heard the good news.

For Christ died on the cross for us. This is His post. Stay posted.”

Prayer: Lord, lend me Your eyes and heart, so that I can embody a genuine compassion for those who do not know You.  God, help me to stop being so indifferent to spiritual plights of the people around me.  Wake up my soul, so that I will stop being so spiritually selfish and start caring for others more! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 131

Lunch Break Study 

(Provided by Doug Tritton)

Read Luke 7:11-17: Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Questions to Consider

1. When Jesus saw the woman, how did He react?
2. What did Jesus do for the woman?
3. Who did you encounter today that is in need of compassion?

Notes

1. The passage tells us that “when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her….” Though Jesus likely had a separate purpose for going to Nain, He saw the woman and had compassion on her. And more than that, He ministered to her in her need.
2. Through Jesus’ healing, He restored the son back to the mother. She was obviously in much distress and grief; and Jesus recognizing this ministered directly to her need. He did not go into a long dialog or sermon but immediately “touched the bier” and raised the son back to life.
3. This morning, did you run into anyone who seemed to be in need of love and compassion? How did you react? Ask God for the ability to see others and have compassion, just as Jesus loved this woman in the passage.

Evening Reflection  

(Provided by Doug Tritton)

Take time to think about your schedule tomorrow. Is it so jam packed that there is no opportunity for unplanned love and ministry? Perhaps think of ways to make room in your day to love and show compassion to those you encounter.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from August 3-5 are corroborated by Jee Lee, who attends Remnant Westside Church in NYC, and Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for Today

Romans 1:17-8: For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

The heart of Martin Luther, the father of the Reformation, had long been filled with “hatred” because he couldn’t satisfy God’s standard of righteousness, no matter how hard he tried.  Luther felt that God was being unfair by demanding a righteous life that no man was capable of achieving.  Evidently, this learned theologian grossly misunderstood the gospel.

Yesterday’s devotional ended with Jee meeting a woman who, like his own mother, walks with a limp; and he asked her whether she had heard the gospel.  Her response?  Jee writes:

“She said no, and asked what it was. I told her it was based on love and how we were created to receive and give love.  [Later] I asked her if she wanted to come to Bible study on Friday night and I could tell that she wasn’t interested in the Bible. But she did say we could go for lunch on Monday which is her day off to hear more of this gospel.  She gave me her number and I went on my way thinking, man God just gave me homework.  She has never heard the good news; she does not have the Friend Jesus as [we] do.  She claims she is an atheist but I believe her soul is waiting to meet Jesus. And perhaps she did that evening, since the Word says that He lives in me.”

Perhaps you’re disappointed that Jee didn’t come right out and tell her “The gospel is Jesus dying for our sins to satisfy God’s standard of righteousness in order that we might have eternal life upon believing”.  That can wait when you are trying to build a relationship first, which is what Jee was doing.  Even so, he hit the nail on the head when he replied, “The gospel is based on love”; for Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Are you inspired by Jee?  Then why not do the same today by reaching out to someone by telling them, “God expressed His greatest love for you by sending Jesus to die for you sins.”

Prayer: Gracious God, awaken my spirit so that I may feel a burden for the lost and compassion for them.  Help my mind to truly understand the gospel so that I can clearly and passionately articulate it to those looking for hope. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 130

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Cor. 5:21: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Rom. 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

Questions to Consider

1. What did Jesus have to do in order to make the gospel message possible?
2. Why is the gospel called the “Good News”?
3. How can a person access the benefit of what Jesus accomplished on the cross?

Notes   

1. Christ first had to take on our sins as if he had sinned—thereby becoming our substitutionary sacrifice. In short, he co-signed unto our debt, making it his responsibility to pay.
2. The gospel is good news because it rescues us from eternal death (a.k.a., God’s wrath) while giving us eternal life.
3. No matter how beneficial the gospel is, it is no good unless we believe in the Son.

Evening Reflection  

Before turning in tonight, reflect on the most beloved passage in the Bible about salvation:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).  Please pray for that person in your family, work and/or school who really desperately need to hear the gospel.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from August 3-5 are corroborated by Jee Lee, who attends Remnant Westside Church in NYC, and Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for Today

Genesis 42:8-9

And Joseph recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him. 9 And Joseph remembered the dreams that he had dreamed of them.

By the time Joseph—now the prime minister of Egypt—saw his brothers who sold him into slavery, twenty-two years had passed since he had the dreams where everyone bowed down to him.  At that moment, he remembered his dreams—meaning, Joseph had forgotten about those dreams for a long time.  While it was Joseph’s love for God that kept him going, recalling the dreams as his brothers prostrated before Joseph must have made him realize that nothing had happened by chance.

While none of us is likely to recall something that grand at such a dramatic moment, we do recall things at a certain moment, and it can be God’s way of nudging us toward His will.  A while back, Jee shared a story of remembering something while jogging, and it led to sharing the gospel with a stranger.

He writes: “Last night after work I wanted to go for a run outside and enjoy the Lord and His creation; so I headed west to the Hudson to catch the last glimpse of light.  Afterwards, as I jogged back, I noticed a woman walking ahead of me with a limp.  She reminded me of my mother who had a stroke when I was in middle school and ever since then, she also walks with a limp. I know the struggles she goes through because of her leg.   Once, she told me how sad she felt for not being able to wear high heels again. So I was thinking, Should I go back and talk to this woman? It was getting late so I didn’t want to startle her. I decided not to, but I also knew that about 25 meters later, I would be bothered for the rest of the night. So I went back and, of course, I startled her! My first words were, ‘Excuse me, sorry to startle you. Have you ever heard of the gospel?’”

We will pick up on Jee’s story tomorrow, but for now, ask yourself this question:  What did you remember today that you haven’t thought of for a long time?  That could be God’s way of nudging you toward someone or something.   Pray about it.

Prayer: Lord, I recall this morning the amazing grace through which I was granted salvation.  I also remember many moments in which You repeatedly showered me with Your faithfulness, even though I deserved none of it.  Being fueled by my gratefulness toward You, may I obey You in all things.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 128

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Peter 1:12-3: Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder.

Joshua 4:6-7: When your children ask in time to come, “What do those stones mean to you?” 7 then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.

Heb. 2:1: Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

Questions to Consider

1. What do these verses assume about our nature, as far as remembering the things of the Lord?
2. Accordingly, what will help us to recall what the Lord has done in the past and His words?
3. What are the things and who are the people that can consistently remind us of the things of God?

 

Notes   

1. They clearly don’t believe that once we are taught something, we will always remember it. They take it for granted that we may forget the things of God or lack motivation to obey them.
2. Peter suggests constant reminders through familiar teachings; Joshua recommends using a meaningful symbol to be reminded (e.g., photos, or in the case of Jee, people who walk with a limp);the writer of Hebrews suggests that we pay close attention when we listen to God’s truth.
3. Daily Bible reading is the best means to be reminded of God’s truth; pastors who explain God’s truth to us is another important means for us to remember the things of God. And there is the Holy Spirit who reminds us of Jesus’ words at meaningful, opportune times.

Evening Reflection  

Perhaps, you are about to go to sleep.  Close your eyes and ask the Lord to help you to remember something that you need to address or someone whom you need to meet.  Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you; if you sense something or someone, then ask the Lord what you now need to do.  Whatever you believe is from the Lord, weigh it carefully according to the Scripture.  For instance, if you all of sudden recall an old friend whom you offended some time ago, and you sense that you need to apologize (totally biblical), then do it.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals for August 1-2 are provided by Jabez Yeo.  Jabez, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is currently working in NYC and serving at TRPC-E.  He hopes to become a missionary.

Devotional Thought for Today

Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-11

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Have you ever felt ostracized at school or work for your faith? Being on the wrong end of controversial social issues, such as same sex marriage, can get you there in a hurry. But that has always been the case—just ask Athanasius, the 4^th century theologian from Alexandria, Egypt.

When Athanasius was young, his mentor, Alexander, composed the Nicene Creed with others to combat Arianism—the heresy that only God the Father was truly divine, and that Jesus was created (equivalent to what the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe). Unfortunately, Arius’ supporters eventually convinced Emperor Constantine to reword the Creed and to order Athanasius (who was now bishop) to reinstate Arius. When Athanasius refused, his enemies spread false charges of treason, which led Constantine to exile him to Germany.

Several years later, Constantine’s son Constantius tried to change the wording of the Nicene Creed to say that the Father and Son were “of a similar substance,” homoiousios, instead of the same substance, homoousios. Notice that the only difference between these two words is the Greek letter iota (ι). However, by emphasizing that the Father and Son are not identical, it would have opened the door to Arianism by implying that the Son is inferior to the Father.

In the midst of such strife, Athanasius wrote works such as On the Incarnation of the Word to emphasize the necessity of a real human incarnation of God. For Athanasius, the difference between homoousios and homoiousios was immense; for “if a being is God (homoousios), then saying He is like God is entirely wrong. If a being is only like God (homoi), then declaring Him to be God would be heresy if not blasphemy.”[1] Athanasius became known as “the saint of stubbornness” for his insistence that the Son had to be truly God, because only God can undo sin.

Were it not for Athanasius, the dogmas of Christ’s full deity and God’s triunity would have been lost, and we would have a Jehovah Witness-like belief in Christ as a great creature of God. Though Athanasius was “afflicted, persecuted and destroyed,” he continued to defend orthodoxy and spoke the truth powerfully. Let’s ask for that same Spirit of power, love and self-discipline (2 Tim 1:7) in the midst of spiritual opposition.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, it’s so hard to stand up for my faith in times of ridicule or slander. Please give me the strength to speak Your truth with power, love and self-discipline—even though it may come at great personal cost. Thank You for enduring suffering for the sake of my salvation. Grant me the strength to deny myself, pick up my cross and follow You. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

[1] Olson, Roger. The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 128

Lunch Break Study

Read John 7:40-43:  On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.

John 17:17b: Your word is truth.

Questions to Consider

1. In light of the Lord who prayed, “I pray . . . that all of them may be one” (Jn. 17:21), what is so peculiar about the above passage?
2. Ultimately, what is more important than unity (at all cost)?
3. In your personal walk with God, have you ever paid a price for standing up for God’s truth? What keeps us from willing to pay a price to follow Christ in this world?

Notes

1. On account of Jesus, people were divided because each held a differing theological view regarding Christ’s identity. That continues to be the case today; for instance, while Christians believe Jesus is the Son of God, to a Muslim, He is a mere prophet who is certainly not God.
2. Truth is more than unity—unity without any regard for truth is nothing more than a temporary alliance that is going to implode a lot sooner than one thinks.
3. Jesus puts it like this: “they loved human praise more than praise from God” (Jn. 12:43).

Evening Reflection  

When everyone seems to like us, we don’t really feel the need for God; but it’s when no one seems to like us—not because of anything we have done but because of our beliefs based on God’s word—we are in tune with our need for God. Even if everyone likes us for the right reason, we should withdraw from them to spend a quiet moment with God, confessing our weakness and need for Him. Look at what Christ did before beginning another busy day of ministering to people: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: ‘Everyone is looking for you!’” (Mk. 1:35-6).

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals for August 1-2 are provided by Jabez Yeo.  Jabez, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is currently working in NYC and serving at TRPC-E.  He hopes to become a missionary.

Devotional Thought for Today

Proverbs 10:17

He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.

You wouldn’t think that such a feel-good word like “adoption” could create a theological controversy, but it did in the early church.  Proponents of this errant view called “adoptionism” explained that Jesus’ divinity consisted of His special relationship with God the Father, which only began at His baptism. By default, supporters of adoptionism denied the Trinity, as they placed Jesus above all men due to His elevation to sonship by the Father but below God due to His humanity and God’s absolute oneness.[1]

Thankfully, the work of the earliest theologians helped to combat adoptionism. Some pointed to verses such as Colossians 2:9 (“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form”) to establish that Jesus had both divine and human nature. Others, such as the theologian Irenaeus, used Romans 5 and other parts of Scripture to explain that without Christ’s full divinity and humanity, salvation is impossible.  In light of these works, Pope Victor I, the first bishop of Rome, rightly and forcefully condemned adoptionism as a heresy.

Unfortunately, Victor I’s forceful personality created disunity at times. As mentioned in an earlier devotional, Victor I’s feud with the Quartodecimans (those who celebrated Easter on Passover instead of Sunday) led him to rashly excommunicate them from the church.  It took other theologians such as Irenaeus who, despite agreeing with Victor I, urged him to withdraw his sentence to preserve unity. Thankfully, Victor I heeded their advice and the churches in Asia, where most of the Quatrodecimans resided, remained in communion with the Western church.[2]

Despite our good intentions, all of us, like Victor I, will eventually sin against others through our words or actions. When those times come, do we have people who can speak into our lives and instruct us in truth? Even if we do, do we have the humility to listen to them? Let’s pray that God will supply us with both godly advisors and the humility to listen to their wisdom.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gift of community, and that You yourself are the best representation of community as the Three-in-One, Father, Son and Spirit. Lord, help me to seek out godly men and women who can help me run this race with perseverance when I fall. Give me the humility to listen to You speaking through them, so that I can continue to fight the good fight. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

[1] Olson, Roger. The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform.

[2] http://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Victor-I

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 127

Lunch Break Study

Read John 1:1-3: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 8:56-8: Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

Questions to Consider

1. Refute adoptionism based on John 1:1-3. (Note: The Greek word logos, translated as word, refers to Christ.)
2. Refute adoptionism based on John 8:57-9. (Note: Recall that Abraham had lived about 2,000 years before the incarnation of Christ.)
3. In your own words, describe the dual nature of Christ.

Notes

1. John 1:1-3 makes three assertions about Christ: first, He existed before “the beginning”; second, He has always existed along with God the Father; third, He, in fact, is the Creator of everything.
2. Accordingly, Jesus predates Abraham, even though the latter had lived 2,000 years earlier. The Jews clearly understood its implication: Jesus was claiming to be eternal.
3. Jesus is fully man and fully God, equal to God the Father in divine essence and has always existed; He has no beginning.

Evening Reflection  

In light of all that we have talked about—mainly, the eternality of Christ—it would be fitting to end this day with a brief worship.   Let’s meditate on Psalm 95:6: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”  Relate this to John 1:3 and think about why this psalm is appropriate in worshiping Christ.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 24 – 31 are provided by Pastor Yohan of Radiance Christian Church, San Francisco.  Yohan graduated from University of Pennsylvania and Cairn University, where he studied theology.  He is married to Mandie, and they have four children: Maggie, Jonathan, Abigail and Simon.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 4:46-54

So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.

In my parenting career, I have tried just about every tactic to get my children to listen to me:  I have asked nicely; I have yelled; I have pleaded; I have threatened; I have bribed; I have punished; I have over-punished; I have shown grace; I have tried time-out; I have tried Korean time-out; I have spanked; I have counted 1-2-3; I have taken away privileges; I have banished them to rooms; I have banished them early to bed—the list goes on and on.  And yet I find myself constantly having to repeat myself.  It has gotten so bad that I find myself repeating even to my wife, simply because I am so used to having to say things multiple times before they are carried out: “Honey, could you get me some water?  I would really like some water, please.”  You know what I lack?  I lack authority in my household.  When I speak, no one trembles in fear of my power or instinctively obey because they know that I am correct and righteous.

Christian theologians will often describe the difference between power and authority as such: Power is the ability to influence or control people, outcomes, or events; whereas, authority is the recognition of that power by others.  Authority needs power to back it; and without power, authority can be empty.  However, without authority, a powerful person becomes a bully.  In my household, I am undoubtedly more powerful than all of my children—meaning, that I can, by brute force, make them do whatever I wish.  However, until they see that I love them and know better than they, they will never recognize my authority and willingly do what I wish.

As a person with little recognized authority, I appreciate both the power and the authority of Christ, and how He wields both.  In today’s passage, we see that Jesus had the power to heal the official’s son from distance, as He was about a day’s travel away.  Jesus speaks and sickness flees.  In other passages in the Bible, we see that nature and even demons obey His word.  Jesus is powerful, and all things in creation recognize His authority—all things, except people.  For whatever reason, God has given His people the option to recognize and submit to His authority or not to submit.  Christ is not going to be “a spiritual bully.” We have to follow Him willingly.  I don’t know how that thought makes you feel, but I hope that this day, you will choose to live under His power and authority and submit to Him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I know that You hold all things in Your hand.  You say that heaven is Your throne and the earth is Your footstool; there is no place that can contain Your greatness.  Yet You choose to live in the hearts of Your people.  Help me to follow You, not because I am powerless against You, but because I see You are good and know all things.  Help me to fully surrender to You.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 126