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

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 4:39-42

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

When I was in my 20s, I laughed at men who told me they practiced yoga. Though I knew yoga was a great way to relieve stress— limber one’s body and strengthen the core—I couldn’t get over how feminized the practice had become. You go to any yoga class and the ratio of guys to girls is something like 8:1. Plus, everyone wears these tight clothes, and all the instructors seem either too crunchy or too spacey. It just wasn’t for me, so I mocked it. Then I hit my 30s and noticed how tight my muscles had become—meaning, I started pulling muscles when I over exerted myself. Long story short, I tried yoga, and I really felt a difference. Now before you start laughing at me, I am not very consistent and still a beginner–and I don’t own tights! But I like it and would probably benefit from making yoga a part of my weekly routine.

Here’s the point: some things (like yoga) not only need to be experienced before they can be truly appreciated and understood, but until they are experienced from within, they will look silly and remain misunderstood. This is the truth the Samaritans of Sychar found out about Christ. Sure, at first they had the woman’s testimony, but when they themselves came to Him, invited Him into their homes to listen to Him, they truly experienced and believed in Him; and after that, their old ways of worship seemed silly and obsolete.

Oftentimes, people struggle with Christianity because they have not earnestly sought God out nor experienced Him. Such people will ask: “How is it possible for a prayer meeting or a retreat to be more fun than going to a party, watching a movie, or having a great dinner? Why would I spend my vacation time doing mission’s work in Romania, when I could be going to Hawaii? How could giving my money away be more rewarding that buying that really big TV? Why would I move to a foreign country to share about Jesus, when I could stay here and make a good living and have a good life?”

Maybe it’s because you haven’t experienced for yourself what living the Christian life is like. You haven’t felt the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit as you engage in worship; you haven’t invested in a person and watched him turn his life around, nor have you fasted and prayed for a person who would eventually break his addictions. Perhaps you’ve never taken a leap of faith and uprooted your life, only to see God provide in subtle yet miraculous ways, or you’ve never obeyed that still small voice and felt God’s pleasure upon you. You’ve never poured your energy out on a church plant and watch it grow to hundreds. Maybe you’ve never praised with the angels in heaven, because you’ve never helped anyone come to faith in Christ.

Look, I haven’t experienced all of those things either, but I’ve seen enough to keep me wanting more. Believe me when I say this: Christianity needs to be experienced practically, not just theoretically. If you have not truly experienced Christ, it is going to feel silly giving your life for it. This morning, be truthful with yourself: Have you truly tried to give yourself fully to Christ and His work, or are you still an outsider looking in?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to experience the life for which You have created me for. Please let me taste and see that You are good. Give me faith and resolution to follow after You with all my heart and really live this Christian life. Thank you for Jesus.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 124-125

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 4:28-30

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

I think everyone, at least at once in their lives, has felt like they have ruined their witness for Christ. Here are a few of mine: In college, my hall mate confronted me about things I allegedly said behind her back (to this day, I still deny it). At work, my boss called me out for goofing around when we had a project due (yup, I deserved that). And at my son’s soccer game, I showed up with a less than healthy snack and got in a huge fight with that overly involved soccer mom, who is also the president of the PTA (okay, this hasn’t happened yet, but I feel it coming soon). I confess that I may not be Christ’s best representative, and I’m not trying to come off sounding like Judgy McJudgerson, but here’s the deal: at least I’ve never had five wives and a sixth “roommate,” like this Samaritan woman (she had husbands, but you get the point).

What I find so fascinating about this account is that the townspeople actually listened to this woman about matters of faith. She was the one who introduced them to Christ. You know, this town was small and news travelled fast; everyone gossiped about her, warning their daughters not to become like her, and their sons not to associate with women like her. Talk about the most unlikely messenger of Christ! But here we see that God used this woman to bring an entire village of Samaritans to Christ. The purity of the message is clearly more important than the purity of the messenger.

Obviously, I am not advocating that you all go out and act and do whatever you want, and then try to win over your non-Christian friends, because it worked for the Samaritan woman. But what I am saying is that sometimes well meaning Christians get stifled in their attempts to share the gospel, because they feel that they just haven’t been a good enough representative for Christ. If that is you, then I encourage you to stop looking at yourself, stop listening to the enemy, and start looking and listening to Christ. The next time you are hesitant about sharing Christ, because you feel like a hypocrite, don’t be— just share. Maybe God wants to use you—despite your shortcomings.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the gospel. Thank You that imperfect people can share and be a part of a perfect message. Help me to honor You as best I can, but also help me to share about You boldly. Please bring people in my life that need to hear about Your love. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 123

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 7:1-6: 1 Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

Questions to Consider

1. In your opinion, what does it mean “to judge”? How do you distinguish between judging and speaking the truth?
2. What was Jesus condemning in this passage?
3. What do you think v. 6 means? How does it apply to your life?

Notes

1. We are told to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), and there are numerous passages encouraging us to correct each other, so we must not misunderstand this passage to mean, “Don’t ever say anything.” Correction comes with love for the person and God; judgment is condemning and motivated by self-righteousness.
2. If you read this passage carefully, you will see that Jesus wants us to correct each other. What he was condemning was hypocrisy—meaning, don’t try to pull out a speck when you have a plank; remove your plank first, and then get the speck out.
3. Sometimes good and well-meaning words can fall on deaf ears, or the hearer will react negatively. But remember, you could still be sharing “pearls.”

Evening Reflection  

The theme of today was hypocrisy. This morning, we glanced on the idea of not letting the fear of appearing like a hypocrite to stand in the way of witnessing; and this afternoon, we talked about hypocrisy in correction. Take a look at your life: Are there areas of your life in which you’d like to become more blameless? Do you fear sharing your faith for personal reason? What would the Lord have you do?

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 3:27-30

27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

In my neck of the woods, a dominant sports story occurred earlier this month when Kevin Durant announced that he was joining the Golden State Warriors for the 2016-17 NBA season. For those of you who are unfamiliar with basketball, Kevin Durant, who is in the discussion for being one of top three players in the world, joined a team that was five points away from winning back-to-back NBA championships. And this team already has four all-stars, one of which is Stephen Curry, who is also in the discussion for being one of the top three players in the world.

After the shock of the formation of the “superteam” wore off, the next question sports journalists began asking was: “How would this dynamic with all these stars, especially between Steph and Kevin, work? Who would defer to whom? Who would be the lead, and who would be sidekick? Who would be the ‘face of the franchise’?” You see, in basketball, when there are ten seconds left on the clock, and your team is down by one, there is still only one basketball and only one person who can take that final shot—and that person is often considered the alpha-dog of the team. Golden State now seems to have two alpha-quality players. If neither of them can concede alpha status, then the team will likely implode. I once heard preacher Tony Evans say, “Anything with two heads is a monster.” Most people outside of the Bay Area are hoping for such a result.

John the Baptist understood this truth well. He understood that there could not be two Saviors, and that his role was not to be the Savior but to point people to the Savior. Yet he was perfectly happy to become less, so that Jesus could more easily and readily become more. Sometimes, even as believers, we are guilty of making other things more, while making Christ less. Consider your careers, families, finances, dreams, or even your ambitions in ministry: In these trying times, some would have you believe that your race is more important than faith. But here is the important thing that we all need to remember: for the believer, there can only be one Alpha, and if we try to create more, our lives will implode. All other things, including self, need to become less as He becomes more.

Prayer

Lord, please become greater in my life. Please allow me to surrender my will and desires to You, trusting you, because you are good. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 122

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Kings 11:1-6: 1 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. 2 They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. 4 As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.

Questions to Consider

1. What was the Lord’s command about marriage? And what was the purpose of that command?
2. What was the result of Solomon’s disobedience?
3. What is the greater principle, and how can you apply it to your life?

Notes

1. The Lord’s command to Solomon was not to marry foreign women. This command was given to Israel as a whole in Ex. 34:16. The issue was not about race but religion. God knew that foreign spouses would turn His people’s hearts toward foreign gods (11:3).
2. As God predicted, Solomon’s heart turned away from God (11:4); he worshipped other gods (11:5); he did evil in the eyes of the Lord (11:6), and this eventually lead to the downfall of Israel (11:11).
3. The broader principle is that anything you love that is not of the Lord will diminish your heart for the Lord. Even things that seem less significant like hobbies can take from your heart for God, but the bigger problems arise when they are important idols—such as spouses.

Evening Reflection  

Today’s theme was singular devotion. Take some time this evening to jot down the five to ten most important things in your life. Assuming that God is no. 1, ask yourself this: “Do items two through ten help me to love God more, or do they vie for my attention?”

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 3:19-21

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

In a recent commercial promoting the low-light camera feature on the Samsung Galaxy S7, advertisers made the claim that, “All the best stuff happens in the dark.”  They gave these examples: dancing happens in the dark, people are younger and better looking in the dark, food becomes more expensive and romantic in the dark, and my personal favorite, “If you are well below average-looking, your only chance of kissing an attractive person is in the dark.” Obviously, the commercial was meant to be comical, but it does hit on some truth; namely, that we enjoy the literal darkness because we can hide in it, and our imperfections are not as pronounced.

But here is another problem with darkness (or lack of light) — it hides true beauty.  Think of all the beautiful places that you’ve been to: beaches, mountains, Hawaii, Yosemite, New England in the fall, the Grand Canyon, etc.  You want to visit these places in the daytime, because the light reveals their beauty.  In low lighting, you may see forms and shapes, but you cannot pick out the details that make these places breathtaking.

Spiritually speaking, living in the fear of being exposed and hiding in the darkness is a terrible and disfiguring way to live; on the other hand, living in the light of the truth is beautiful and freeing.  People who live with a big secret—such as drug addiction, adultery, or involvement in an illegal business, etc.—are always weighed down by the fear of being caught.  And they cannot be healed or be free until they confess and disclose their sins.  The beauty of being made in the image of God and being a child of God is hidden by the darkness they are trying to hide their sins in.  Only after allowing the light to reign can their beauty be revealed.

Is there something in your life that you are keeping in the dark?  Is that secret bringing you into the dark as well?  Does it need to be confessed and brought to life?  Won’t you consider sharing it with someone?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I want to live in the complete radiance of Your light.  Help me to confess any hidden sins and seek forgiveness, restoration, and renewal.  Remind me that Your light is always good.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 121

Lunch Break Study

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;

8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Questions to Consider

1. What was the psalmist trying to convey about God in this Psalm?
2. How does the psalmist highlight the characteristics of God’s protection?
3. This Psalm (especially vv. 6-7) implies that no harm will befall a child of God. What does that mean?

Notes

1. The psalmist praises the Lord as our guardian or protector.
2. In verses 3-4, we see that God is ever-vigilant in His protection—there is never a time when we have escaped His watch, and He never sleeps. God protects us from harm (vv. 6-7) and has a plan for us.  He watches over our lives, both our coming and going, now and forever (vv. 7-8).
3. The psalmist is not saying that bad things will never happen to God’s children. History tells us that many Christians are persecuted and have been killed for their faith.  But what we need to understand is that God’s protective hand and care does not leave His children; meaning, those who suffer are not abandoned by God or out of His loving will.  So we must see our sufferings as given by God and have the grace to ask, “What is God trying to accomplish in this suffering?”

Evening Reflection  

This morning we talked about getting out of the darkness; and in the afternoon Psalm 121 talked about the ever-vigilant care of the Lord.  Believe it or not, these two ideas are not unrelated, for the statement that “God sees everything about me,” is true.  In Psalm 121, we see that this is a beautiful and comforting idea (if you generally live in the light).  However, if we are trying to hide in the darkness, this can be a terribly uncomfortable idea for us.  In your life, how do you react to the idea that God sees everything about you?

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 3:16-18

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Several years ago, I was on a mission trip in Beijing. One of the activities we did during that trip was to go and share the gospel out on the streets. I speak no Mandarin or any other Chinese dialect, so I left the sharing up to the locals and missionaries. After one particularly engaging conversation that ended with a declined invitation to accept Christ, I asked the missionary with whom I was partnered what he said and how things ended. Basically, he told me he shared the Gospel and asked if the hearer wanted to accept—this person declined. So the missionary responded, “Thanks for listening; I believe in heaven and hell, and I hope to see you in heaven one day.”

I remember thinking, I haven’t heard anyone talk about the consequences of rejecting Christ in a long time. The missionary’s last line about heaven and hell was both refreshing in its simplicity and terrifying in its gravity. In the U.S., we have somehow diminished the decision to accept Christ as a choice between being happy with your life as it is or finding ultimate happiness in God. Or we say that following Christ, our maker, will fulfill our life’s calling, while giving the impression that we could somehow survive, albeit less fulfilling existence, without him. Let’s not forget the severity of the Gospel message; it is the most serious decision a person can make; its life or death.

Remembering this fact should not only remind us how grave our sins are, but it should also remind us to be thankful for His lavish love. This morning, thank God again for the cross. Thank Him that not only are you not destined for eternal torment, but that you will be in eternal paradise. Also remember that trading our lives on earth for eternal life should not be a difficult decision for any of us to make.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You once again for the cross. Thank You that my sins are forgiven and that I am considered righteous in your sight. Thank You that Your nature is not to condemn but to save. Help me to live in that truth and share it with others.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 120

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 2:1-10: As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Questions to Consider

1. How did Paul describe people before Christ came into their lives?
2. How did Paul describe people after Christ’s work?
3. How does verse 10 fit with verses 8-9?

Notes

1. Paul says that before we met Christ we were dead in our sins (2:1), followers or slaves to Satan and our sinful desires (2:2-3), and deserving of wrath (2:3).
2. After Christ came into our lives, we became alive in Christ (2:5), heirs with Christ (2:6), and objects of love and grace.
3. Notice the use of the word “works.” The famed verses 8-9 make the point that we are saved by grace and not by works; verse 10 indicates that after we have been saved (by faith), God planned for us to do good works. What are the works God has for you?

Evening Reflection  

Today was a call to thanksgiving. Many of us were taught and trained to think critically; however, one of the dangers of this line of thinking is that we forget the need to be thankful. Take time this evening to list 10 things for which you are genuinely thankful. In addition, take a minute to ask if God has works for you to do.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from April 11 to 17 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 3:8

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

In high school and college, I never had periods where I “fell away,” nor do I have fantastic stories of my BC (before Christ) days.  Even in college, I didn’t drink, never went to frat parties, smoked or used drugs; and because girls were not that interested in me, I didn’t get into too much trouble there, either.  I’m pleased to report that from my teenage years through my twenties—and even now—I   was/am pretty boring.  Of course, I didn’t start that way.  I know it sounds silly, but even young kids can be bad, and that was me.  Before my twelfth birthday, I had already been in multiple fights, busted for shoplifting (twice), and set the record for cumulative hours of detention at school (I’m not even sharing the stuff I’m truly ashamed of either).  I didn’t know it at the time, but the trajectory of my life was pointing the wrong way. I truly believe that I was only a few years away from getting into drugs and a slew of bigger problems.  Thankfully, the grace of God was (and is) upon me, as I moved to a different neighborhood, state, school, and eventually started going to church regularly.  Every once in a while, I will search for some of my old teachers from elementary school on Facebook.  I’d love to connect with them and tell them that I turned out all right—I’m sure they’d be shocked to learn that I am a pastor.

When Jesus said that the Spirit of God was like the wind—that  you feel it’s effects, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going—He was talking about people.  More specifically, God’s work in people.  I think we all have people in our lives who have surprised and blessed us by how God has changed their lives.  Unfortunately, we also all have people who we wish would “wake up” and get their faith and lives in order.  Truth be told, we are saddened because when we think about such people, we doubt if they will ever accept Christ into their lives.  If that is you and if you are on the verge of giving up on someone, please remember there are hundreds of thousands of people who were “further away from God” than twelve- year-old me.  Remember the fantastic testimonies about how Jesus came into their lives, some of which border on the unbelievable.  So don’t lose heart, because the Spirit may be moving now; and like the wind, you don’t know where it comes from or where (or when) it will go.

This morning, let Jesus’ truth remind you to hope in God for others again.  Please do not stop hoping for that sibling or parent; please do not stop loving that co-worker; please do not stop sharing with that childhood friend; and most importantly, please do not stop praying to our merciful Savior.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, this morning I pray for __________ (fill in the blank).  I know he/she feels hopeless in my eyes; forgive my lack of faith.  Please show him/her Your love and sacrifice.  Show him/her the truth.  Help me to be a witness and to hope.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 119:129-176

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 55:8-13: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.

Questions to Consider

1. What truth can we gather from verses 8-9? How does such an understanding impact your life?
2. What truth can we gather from verses 10-11? How does such an understanding impact your life?
3. What can we learn about God from this piece of prophecy? Does this encourage you?

Notes

1. Sometimes we forget that God isn’t just a little smarter than us or just slightly more insightful than us—He is infinitely smarter and has infinite understanding. This thought should encourage us to trust Him, especially in times when we are clueless.
2. God has a purpose in everything He does and commands. Moreover, His plans and purposes do not fail.  Once again, this should encourage us to trust God.
3. Isaiah 55 represents the Lord’s invitation for His people to repent and come back to Him. Ultimately, we see a God who would rather display mercy than judgement.  God’s desire is to bless, not punish.

Evening Reflection  

The theme for today is that God is working, even when we do not see it or understand it.  Have there been events or people in your life that have caused discouragement, because you cannot understand or see God in them?  If so, don’t look at yourself; look to God.  See His infinite wisdom, power, and goodness.