Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:11

Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. ¹² Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

At red carpet events, celebrities are often asked, “Who are you wearing?”  And in turn, they’ll drop the name of some celebrity designer.  Often, my response in the rare moments I catch one of these events on TV is, “Who cares?!” Well, apparently many people do.  Who and what we are wearing is apparently a pretty big deal.  Our clothing choices say something about our taste, our wealth, our personality.  In other words, our clothing choices say something about our identity.  It’s actually a much deeper question than I normally give it credit for.

Well, what if our identity was one who had been forgiven by God and raised with Christ?  What would our clothing choices be then?  Perhaps we’d be wearing clothes distinctly designed by Christ, bearing his signature mark?—you know, marks like compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience?  Forgiveness?  Love?

So this morning, before you head to your closet and begin your day, who will you be wearing?

Prayer: Father, what an awesome God You are!  Help me to taste and see Your goodness as You are adorned with Christ’s righteousness.  I put my trust in You alone for I know that You are faithful.  May I continue to grow in my knowledge (both theological and experiential) of You.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 99

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 13:11-14: Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Questions to Consider

1. How does Paul use the metaphor of “wearing” in this passage? (hint: there are at least two).  What are we to put on?
2. How does knowing the hour change our mindset?
3. What is the Spirit asking you to cast off and put on?

Notes

1. Paul urges us to “put on” the armor of light (v12) and the Lord Jesus Christ (v14). These are related metaphors.  The metaphor of armor carries the suggestion of protecting ourselves from the darkness of this world.  Ultimately, we are putting on Christ.
2. What we wear changes depending on whether it is night or day, since what we plan to do will also change depending on the time of day. If we believe that the “day is at hand”, then we will change our clothes accordingly.  Paul declares that it is no longer time to live as though it is night but in a new day!

Evening Reflection  

What did you wear today?  What will you wear tomorrow?  What would help you to carry this mindset throughout the day?  As you journal, ask the Spirit to help you grow more conscious of the new reality in which we live.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:11

 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Right after commanding his readers to put to death that which is earthly, i.e. the old self and its practices (e.g. sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk and lies), Paul follows up with verse 11 (see above).  We may wonder how the two ideas are connected.

Well, how do you know how you’re doing in Christ?  One trap that we fall into is to compare ourselves with others.  The Christians in Colossae seemed to have been holding onto tribal markers, such as ethnicity, eating practices and circumcision.  As long as they were doing the “right things” and avoiding the “wrong things,” they thought they were spiritual.   They were focused on outward markers and appearances rather than their heart condition.

Paul reminds the Christian in Colossae (and us as well) that we are not Christians because we have separated ourselves from other people, but rather because we have been separated for God by Christ.  Do you see the difference?  The power to put to death earthly and fleshly desires and to live in a Christ-like way comes as we live in the new reality of Christ’s presence.  Let us stop looking around us and start looking upwards!

Prayer: Father, I confess my sinfulness to You, especially my tendency to look at my performance as if that’s why I am different from others.  I am in need of Your grace and mercy.  I ask that You would bring healing into my heart and my mind.   I want to live this day in Your joyful presence.  In Jesus’s name I pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 98

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 2:2-11: Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Questions to Consider:

1. What earthly things did Paul formerly take pride in (vv.5-6)?
2. What is Paul’s new desire?
3. How is the Spirit challenging you to follow Paul’s example?

Notes

1. Paul formerly derived his identity from his ethnic and spiritual heritage. He was ethnically, educationally, and religiously on par with any Jewish believer.
2. After encountering Jesus Christ, Paul forsook everything that had previously given him worth, so that he could find his worth through Christ. Paul uses a Hebraism here (see similar examples spoken by Jesus, e.g. Luke 14:26), where he describes the former things as rubbish to contrast how much greater the worth of Christ is.

Evening Reflection  

Please spend some time meditating upon your desires.  Is your desire for earthly things or for Christ?  Take some time to pray that Christ would become your greatest desire.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 4-10 are provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston.  Barry, a graduate of Stanford University and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Sunny (an amazing worship leader, chef and math wizard).  They are the proud parents of Caleb and Micah.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 3:1-4:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

“If then we have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above… “

Some people (beginning with the Monastics in the early church) see ascetism as a response to the challenge of our flesh, but Paul writes in Colossians 2 that denying the flesh has “no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.”  So how then can we find freedom from fleshly, earthly things?

Let me ask a different question:  Where do you live?  Pause for a moment and take time to answer.  No, not your address.  Where do you live?  What is your reality?

How you answer this question will determine how you live your life.  If we view our reality primarily in terms of what we see around us, then we will live according to the values of that reality.  Afterall, our life is conditioned by the reality we perceive: relationships, work, meals, money, etc.

Paul tells us that when we live for those things, we are living in an earthly way.  But when we live as though those things are evil and to be avoided, ironically, we are still being conditioned by that earthly reality.  We are just rebelling against it.  Neither is the way to go.  Freedom doesn’t come as we seek to avoid the earthly reality; rather, we need to live in a new reality.

When Paul tells us to seek the “things that are above,” he is asking that we intentionally commit to living the values of heaven.   Heaven is where everything is happening just as God wills.  You see that is where we live now.  If you have received Christ’s work on the cross, you have died to your old reality, and you have been raised with Christ into His heavenly reality.  Yes, we are still living on earth, but we also live in the reality that God is real, loving, and with us.  That’s why Jesus’s death and resurrection is Good News.  It’s also our only hope for freedom.

Prayer: 

Lord Jesus, what an amazing truth this is!  Thank You that my reality is not defined by what I see around me but by Your presence, goodness, love and grace.  Help me to become more aware of this new reality.  I ask that Your nearness would be tangible to us.  As this happens, help me to let go of earthly desires and be captivated by the desires of Your heart.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 97

Lunch Break Study

Read the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples in Matthew 6:9-13:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

10 Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread,

12 and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Questions to Consider

1. What do we learn about God the Father from this prayer?
2. This prayer begins with a concern for God’s reputation and His kingdom rather than our own desires. How is this reflected in your prayers?
3. In what ways has the Holy Spirit been revealing God’s will to you?

Notes

1. We learn from this prayer that God is hallowed (aka, holy), that He is a King whose Kingdom is coming, that he gives us daily bread, forgives and delivers.
2. Personal response.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

Are you growing in the knowledge of Jesus – His death and resurrection?  Many times we begin our relationship with Christ in grace but then turn to the flesh.  Our hope for growth lies in continuing to fix our eyes on Christ and His reality.  Journal today about some ways you desire to grow in your awareness of the heavenly reality.

Editor’s Note: Today’s QT is written by Jabez Yeo of TRPC.

Devotional Thought for Today

James 2:14-19: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Spiritual leaders (particularly known for their keen theological mind) who display their faith in both word and deed are an immense treasure (i.e., with regards to learning about faith and works, spirituality, and intellectuality).  One such leader was Basil, one of the Cappadocian fathers who faithfully endorsed the Nicene Creed. During Basil’s time, an aggressive form of heresy, Eunomianism, was gaining popularity, as it claimed that full Trinitarianism was a disguised form of paganism – an argument made today by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eunomianism also doubted that the Son could be “begotten” and eternal, which led them to deny Jesus’ full divinity despite recognizing Him as Savior.

In response, Basil skillfully refuted Eunomianism by noting that if the Son was merely a creature, humanity would still be without a true revelation of God. Basil also used the imagery of the sun’s rays, which are “begotten” yet have existed with the sun since its beginning to explain how the Son was begotten from, yet exists with the Father for eternity. Basil then wrote On the Holy Spirit (“the first whole treatise on the Holy Spirit”) and effectively used Scripture to explain that “since the Holy Spirit effects our salvation, He cannot be anything but God.”[1]

Thankfully, Basil also communicated Christ through his actions. One of his projects as bishop of Caesarea was building a complex that provided housing and medical care for the needy. Basil also organized a soup kitchen and “gave away his personal inheritance to benefit the poor.”[2] Furthermore, Basil publicly rebuked corrupt officials and excommunicated those involved in human trafficking. He was in many ways, “a man of vast learning, genuine eloquence and immense charity.”[3]

It can be easy to feel ashamed when we compare ourselves to Basil—especially if our confession of faith is not consistent with our actions. But let’s remember that Basil was just a man like us, and that it is only God’s grace that trains us to renounce worldly passions and to live godly lives (Titus 2:12). May we then display Him powerfully through word and deed.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the great truth that proclaims that You loved me while I was still a sinner separated from You. Help me to love others in light of the love I have received from You. May what I know resonate deeply not only in my mind but also in my hands and feet as I interact with and serve others. In Your Name, I pray.  Amen.

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

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea

[3] http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=261

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 96

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Years ago I served as a youth pastor to middle and high school students. A lot of time was spent on developing their character so that they could be the light of Christ in their schools. There was also the hope that as they grew in their faith, they would become better prepared for the spiritual challenges they would face in college. As they graduated from high school, I, like a worrying (spiritual) parent, warned them about the dangers of drugs, drinking, and the party scene. I also warned them about philosophy classes. Not that they should never take any, but that they really needed to be discerning about what they were ingesting.

My warnings were not without reason. I remember the Philosophy 101 class that I took as a freshman in college. The professor was an ardent atheist. I was a (fairly) devoted Christian. “He’s not gonna get me,” was the battle cry of my heart. Then he challenged the class with a simple question: “If God is omnipotent, can he create a rock that he can’t lift?” The silence was deafening. “Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?” Never before had the world seen Christians, Jews, and Muslims in such unity – we were all completely stumped. No one said a word. Well, that was that – the existence of God disproved in a minute, and the professor moved on. Little did I know that the professor had pulled a fast one on us. It wasn’t until years later, when I was taking an apologetics class at seminary that I learned that he had violated a foundational tenet of philosophy – the Law of Non-Contradiction. In other words, something cannot be both “A” and “not A” at the same time. But we didn’t know the Law of Non-Contradiction, and the professor took full advantage.

Looking back on that episode, it’s tempting to want to go and study all the philosophy I can in order to make sure that something like that never happens again. It’d be great to be able to quote Kant, Nietzsche, and Plato from memory. It would make me formidable in debate, and I would sound really smart to boot. Now, there’s nothing wrong with studying philosophy, given that you are indeed careful and discerning with what you read. In fact, engaging secular philosophers in their lingua franca might even be a calling for some. However, it’s important to remember that in the end, the whole truth cannot be philosophy without Christ. Paul unashamedly wrote, “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:20-25).

God’s wisdom will always sound like foolishness to the world because His truth is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14), but it is truth and it is life and we are not to be ashamed. There will be occasion for debate, but there will also be occasion to preach the simple gospel, that those who have ears to hear may hear.

Prayer: God, help me to not be intimidated by the wisdom of this world. Help me to know that 15 graduate degrees in philosophy and a shelf full of Kant and Nietzsche don’t trump the truth of the gospel. Give me wisdom to know how, when confronted by those espousing the wisdom of the world, to respond in love. Give me the power of the Spirit and the right words to say. Make me brave. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 94-95

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 2:5

For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

It’s amazing how much easier ministry is when you genuinely care about people.  They tend to open up.  They share more.  They invite you into their lives.  The famous evangelist D.L. Moody once told the story of a young boy who walked five miles every week to get to Sunday school when he could have easily attended any of forty other Sunday schools that were closer to his home.  The boy’s reason: “Because they love a fellow over there.”[1]

When Paul says that he is with the Colossians (as well as the Corinthians – 1 Cor. 5:3) “in spirit,” I believe that the crux of what he is saying is that his heart is with them – that they were very much in the forefront of his thoughts and concerns.  This seemed to be a consistent theme in his life and ministry: “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28).  I think that this would prove very challenging for many of us, especially those of us who fall more into the “out of sight, out of mind” personality camp.  Ditto for the task-oriented as opposed to the relational types among us.  Yet we cannot escape the heart of Christian ministry – “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Many of us begin Christian ministry by doing as opposed to loving, but as we mature, we realize that loving is what we really need to be doing.  This is not easy.  Paul had to remind his flock: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).  But this is unnatural because our sinful flesh is constantly elevating the priority of loving ourselves.  Caring for others in an authentic way is so counterintuitive, that Paul wrote, “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:19-21).  Even for Paul, who served alongside many Christians and knew countless more, Timothy was a diamond in the rough because he really cared.

Prayer: God, teach me how to love others.  Forgive me if I am more prone to use others or to treat them like objects or projects.  Because You are love and I am in You, I believe that I can love as You love.  Help me to slow down.  Help me to see people.  Help me to be moved with compassion by their stories, to be broken by their tragedies, and to feel their joy when they rejoice.  Help me to be less individualistic and to be more communal in the way I view the body of Christ.  Amen.

[1] D.L. Moody, Anecdotes & illustrations of D. L. Moody related by him in his revival work (Ottaway & Company, 1878) p.50

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 93

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 6:30-34: The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Questions to Consider

1. What was Jesus’ original motivation for taking the disciples to “a quiet place”? What ended up happening when they got there?  Why?
2. How flexible are you with your schedule when you encounter others in need?

Notes

1. Jesus wanted the disciples to have some time to rest, but when they got to the destination, they ended up ministering to the people there. Jesus’ “compassion” trumped His tiredness.
2. Schedules are important, but people are more important.

Evening Reflection  

“Love must be sincere.” – Romans 12:9.

So, how is your love?  Search your heart—ask God to reveal to you one person to whom you really need to show God’s love.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 1:24

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church….

Here we have a problematic verse.  We know that Christ was completely obedient to the will of the Father.  We also know that His suffering for us on the cross was wholly sufficient for our cleansing and justification.  The author of Hebrews wrote, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (10:14).  So what then could be “lacking in Christ’s afflictions”?  Uncomfortable choice of words indeed.

We need not question the sufficiency of Christ’s work; however, upon deeper examination we come to understand that it is not that Christ’s work was insufficient, but rather, that the experience of suffering was to be continued in His body – the Church.  N.T. Wright put it this way: “Just as the Messiah was to be known by the path of suffering he freely chose – and is recognized in his risen body by the mark of the nails… so his people are to be recognized by the sufferings they endure…”[1]  Suffering, rather than always serving as an indication that something is wrong, can sometimes be an indication that things are very right.  In fact, the opposite can be true – the absence of suffering, normally our desired state of affairs, could very well mean that we’ve failed to “take up our cross.”

We don’t like this.  No one likes to suffer.  Now, I am not saying that we should go out looking for suffering, but unless we understand this biblical paradigm, we will surely do all we can to avoid it—even if it may be the road we must take to accomplish the will of God.  To quote Wright again: “If all these ideas sound strange to modern ears, this may not be so much due to the distance between Paul and ourselves in time and culture as because the church has forgotten how to apply to itself the fact that it is the body of the crucified Messiah.”[2]

Now again, this doesn’t mean we go about our day with martyrdom on the top of our to-do list (otherwise you might as well cross off numbers 2 and following).  It’s not your fault you don’t live in a country where it is illegal to believe in Jesus.  However, Paul’s teaching still applies.  To quote Wright one last time: “Finally, we would be wrong to think of suffering only in terms of the direct outward persecution that professing Christians sometimes undergo because of their faith.  The church must, it is true, always be ready for such persecution… But all Christians will suffer for their faith in one way or another: if not outwardly, then inwardly, through the long, slow battle with temptation or sickness, the agonizing anxieties of Christians responsibilities for a family or church…, the constant doubts and uncertainties which accompany the obedience of faith, and ‘the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to’, taken up as they are within the call to follow Christ.”[3]

Prayer: God, help me to internalize this truth, that suffering – taking up my cross and following after You – is a necessary part of the Christian life.  Help me to rejoice when I suffer for doing good, for great is my reward in heaven.  Give me courage to persevere in the face of persecution and endurance to hold on in the midst of suffering.  Amen.

[1] N.T. Wright, Colossians and Philemon (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Inter-Varsity Press/William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986) p.88

[2] Ibid, p.89

[3] Ibid, p.90

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 92

Lunch Break Study

Read John 15:18-21: If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

Questions to Consider

1. What does it mean that “the world hates you”? How should Jesus’ statement help to inform our worldview?
2. Are there any areas of your life where you’ve been avoiding suffering, possibly too much so?

Notes

1. When we live with kingdom values, we will inevitably clash with the values of this world, which is controlled and shaped by “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).

2. Maybe we avoid sharing the gospel because we fear rejection, drawing an ethical line in the sand because we are afraid of upsetting our bosses, or miss out on the will of God because we idolize creature comforts for ourselves or our families.

Evening Reflection  

“I have accepted this proposal. Christians are meant to have the same vocation as their King, that of cross-bearers. It is this conscience of a high calling and of partnership with Jesus which brings gladness in tribulations, which makes Christians enter prisons for their faith with the joy of a bridegroom entering the bridal room.” – Richard Wurmbrand, who spent 14 years in prison as a Romanian pastor.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 1:21-23

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

There is a great temptation to associate believing in Jesus with a “get out of jail, free” card. “Thanks for the sacrifice Jesus.  Now, I’ve got some stuff to do, so I’ll see you in 50 years.”  Such people will be in for the surprise of their lives if at the end, they hear Jesus say, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23b).  The fact that this is a real possibility can be seen in Paul’s logic – we have been “reconciled…if indeed you continue in the faith…”  If.  This disturbs us because it wasn’t what we learned in Sunday school – if you believe in Jesus, you’ve got a spot waiting for you in heaven.  Your table can’t be given away.  We object further: “This sounds like works!  I thought salvation was free!”  Amen!  Salvation is free – it’s a gift.  But true salvation is evidenced by the kind of continuing on in the faith Paul wrote about.   A duo of commentators put it this way: “If the Bible teaches the final perseverance of the saints, it also teaches that the saints are those who finally persevere – in Christ.  Continuity is the test of reality.”[1]  The famous reformer Martin Luther is helpful as well when he so elegantly quipped: “It is grace alone that saves, but the grace that saves is never alone.”

So what does this mean for us folks living in the 21^st century?  It means the same thing it has meant for the people of God throughout the ages: We cannot just rest on our laurels.  It means that if you see the evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life, you should have great assurance that you are indeed in the flock of God.  Evidence, however, not only includes victories, but it also includes genuine repentance after devastating defeats, tooth-and-nail struggle against an old sin-stronghold, and faith—even if it’s on life support, in the face of earth shattering pain and loss.  It also means, however, that if you consider yourself a Christian but see no evidence of Christ in your life – no desire, no fight, no longing – then you’d better do some serious self-reflection.  God forbid that you find yourself among the “goats” in that final day.  To quote the street theologian Ice Cube slightly out of context—“You better check yo self before you wreck yo self.”[2]  The apostle Paul would agree with such wise admonition.

Prayer: God, help me to be a Christian not in name only, but in deed, love, and faith.  Help me to run the race to the finish like the apostle Paul.  May the powerful working of the Holy Spirit increase in my life that I may abound in the works of the Lord and be overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit.  Help me to never take grace for granted but tap into such grace that I may live a life worth living.  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.213

[2] Jackson, O’Shea. “Check Yo Self.” The Predator. Priority Records. 1992.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 91

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 7:15-20: Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Questions to Consider

1. According to Jesus, how are we to recognize true disciples (good trees)?
2. Forget the fact that you consider yourself a Christian. If someone were able to observe your thoughts and actions 24 hours a day for an extended period of time, what conclusions do you think he or she may draw about you?
3. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” What do the people in your life see when they see you?

Notes

1. By their fruit (a.k.a., works); that is, the way they live their lives.
2. Do not despair if you think your fruit is bad; instead, seek a deeper and more genuine relationship with Jesus. As you do, the fruit you bear will reflect this deepening relationship.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

Philippians 1:6: And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Be encouraged to know that as you run the race, God is the wind at your back.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from June 27-July 3 are provided by Pastor Ulysses Wang who pastors Remnant Church in Manhattan. Ulysses, a graduate of New York University and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Christine and they have two children.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 1:3-5a

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.”

One constant obstacle to living the Christian life is the desires of the flesh to opt for immediate gratification. Whether having to do with sexual desire, overeating, or all types of addictions (e.g., video games, drugs, gambling, etc.), persuading others and ourselves to abandon the banner that reads “let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die” (Isaiah 22:13; 1 Corinthians 15:32) is a formidable task indeed.

“Well then, let us not be so shortsighted and instead let us think towards the future!” This, however, is not without pitfalls of their own. Others, while shunning the “foolishness” of the fleeting pleasures of the flesh and/or ill-gotten gains, fall into the trap of investing unhealthy amounts of our time, energy and resources toward the creation of a financially, physically and even relationally secure future. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to retire to Florida one day with a clean bill of health. However, if this “future” is what we have our sights on, we will fall well short of the biblical mark.

What enables us to live the life of faith and love that Paul ascribes to the Colossians? The Colossians had become “famous” for their way of life, as Paul says that he had “heard of” the way in which they lived. The answer lies in where they had placed their hope: “in heaven.” While looking to the future is precisely what we ought to do, the problem is, we don’t look far enough. The more we place our hope in heaven and all that it entails, the more we will become empowered to live a life of faith and love, now. This is the whole point of Hebrews 11 – the ancients lived by faith because they were “looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (11:10). This morning, let us examine our hearts to see whether our faith is in God alone or in something else.

Prayer: God, forgive me for placing my hope in anything in this world, whether money or people or career. Help me to see heaven as the ancients did. Open the eyes of my spirit that I may be captivated by the coming kingdom, and live as a citizen thereof. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 90

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 11:1-2: Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation.

Questions to Consider

1. We are not talking about having faith in faith. What then is the object of our faith?
2. What can you do to live more by faith?
3. In what ways do you find yourself exercising faith according to the definition of faith given in these two verses?

Notes

1. We place our faith in God’s Word and His promises. Thus, we are talking about having a reasonable, not blind, faith.
2. One suggestion: make a decision because it is the right thing to do according to God’s Word—even if it appears costly and unprofitable at the moment.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

Before going to bed, reflect on Hebrews 11:24-27: By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

Perhaps, you are facing a similar decision that Moses faced: having to choose between the pleasures offered by the world and pleasing God? Seek God’s guidance; pray for the Spirit’s empowerment.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals for today are from P. Ulysses Wang, lead pastor of The Remnant Presbyterian Church in New York City.

Devotional Thought for Today

Colossians 1:1

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…

This opening statement in Paul’s letter to the Colossians is easily glossed over, but it’s loaded with significance.  In the large majority of Paul’s letters, which span roughly a 15-year period, he begins them this same way.  We are reminded again and again over the years that this man did not become an apostle by his own choosing, but rather, it was a mandate from heaven which he accepted and obeyed.  And this was something that no one needed to know more than him, as he would endure countless beatings, stonings, and even shipwreck (2 Cor. 11:23-28).  Eventually, his commitment to his calling would lead him to lay down his very life.  A person less sure of his calling surely would have abandoned such a difficult and lonely road.

As I consider Paul’s calling and concomitant resolve, I cannot help but reflect upon my own life and calling.  How certain am I that I am doing what God made me to do?  It is a worthwhile question, not just for myself, but for us all.  We live in a generation of countless opportunities, yet those very same opportunities have left us dazed and confused, jumping from job to job, career to career, and country to country in the relentless pursuit of doing something “meaningful” with our lives.  Now, more than ever, we need to seek a true calling from God through prayer and fasting, in His word and in His community.  While the desire to do good is indeed good, it would do us well to discover the good that God has already prepared in advance for us to do, for that is what is truly worth doing (Eph. 2:10).

Prayer: God, help me to discover and walk in the calling that You have for me.  Help me to hear past the noise of this FOMO (fear of missing out) generation so that like King David, I can have fully served You in my generation.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 89

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 2:8-10: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Questions to Consider

1. Paul mentions three times in this passage words that share the root word “work.” What are the ways in which these words are related?
2. How might it be an encouragement that God has “prepared beforehand” such works for us?
3. Evaluating your own life, would you say that you’ve been walking in God’s pre-prepared works, or are you doing your own works?

Notes

1. Previously, we worked on our own, but only when we recognize that we are God’s workmanship can we begin to do the works we ought to be doing.
2. It is not up to us to accomplish anything, but rather it is the Spirit in us who accomplishes all things.
3.  Personal.

Evening Reflection  

Reflect upon your day.  Do you think that you might have participated in anything that God “prepared beforehand” for you to do?  How can you better align yourself to participate in God’s work?