Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland.  Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles).  He was recently married to Christina.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 2.8-11

And [Jesus] said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So [the servants] took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, 10 and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

I was on a flight early in the morning, and all I wanted was some sleep before I landed. Being a “larger-than-the-average” Asian man, the worst thing on a plane is to sit next to another “larger-than-the-average” person. The gentleman who sat next to me was this “larger-than-the-average” dude. He looked like a bouncer that stands in front of clubs. Turns out he was a bouncer that stands in front of clubs. I just wanted to sleep, but God kept pressing me to talk to him.

It seemed crazy to think that this guy would even want to talk to me. But in a pathetic attempt at small talk, I joked, “They should really have sizing charts so that big guys like us don’t end up next to each other.” He responded with a half grunt/half laugh. By the end of the flight, two “larger-than-the-average” men were sitting there in tears because of how faithful God was in their lives.

In the passage, we see a group of servants in the midst of a wine-crisis. We today cannot grasp the cultural magnitude of running out of wine at a wedding ceremony, but it was serious. Then this man named Jesus responds to the crisis by having them take water, fill up the ceremonial waterpots, and then take some of that same water to the headwaiter. You can imagine what the servants are thinking: “Is this a joke? This is crazy!” But can you imagine the awe that fell upon these servants (John emphasizes that only the servants knew where the wine came from) as they heard the headwaiter’s praise of the wine?

Our complimentary water bottles didn’t turn into wine. But God definitely amazed us in that plane. And despite the fact that it was all His doing, for some reason He shared the credit with me. My new friend thanked me for encouraging him. He thanked ME. I didn’t do anything. In fact, I resisted wanting to do anything. And yet God allowed me to be the recipient of his thanks on behalf of Him, much like the bridegroom at the wedding.

In what ways is God inviting you to join Him in His work today? The reality is that He doesn’t need us, but what He does want is for us to share in the joy of that work. Will you respond to that invitation today?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You want to share the joy of Your work with me. Forgive me for taking Your invitation as an obligation. I want to enter into the Master’s joy! Give me the grace to not only recognize Your invitation, but the grace to be able to walk in obedience to it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 117

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 25:19-23: After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!

Questions to Consider

1. What do you notice about the master’s response to the one who brought back five more talents versus the one who brought back two more talents? What do you learn about the master based on his response?
2. What is the reward for the faithful servants?
3. If you have time, read the interaction between the last servant and the master (verse. 24-28). In what ways are our responses like that of this servant, and what does this mean in terms of our relationship with God?

Notes

1. The response of the master is exactly the same, which shows us that the amount that they brought back isn’t necessarily what matters to the master. It can be assumed that if the last servant had brought back one other talent, the response would be the same.
2. The reward of the faithful servants is to enter into the joy of the master, to enjoy and celebrate the same things that the master enjoys and celebrates.
3. Personal response. Note that the last servant did not understand who or what the master was doing. He didn’t see it as an invitation; rather, a burdensome task.

Evening Reflection  

In what ways do you feel like God invited you to His work today? How did you respond to these invitations? What have you learned about God through this process? What have you learned about yourself? Take some time to jot down your thoughts.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland.  Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles).  He was recently married to Christina.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 1:45-46

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

In a recent episode of the podcast Invisibilia, a woman recollects on her life where she struggled in relating with others. Although she was a highly successful physician, she had issues when it came to reading people’s emotions, body language, or other social cues. It wasn’t until at the age of 54 that she realized she had been living with Asperger’s Syndrome, a disorder that prevents someone from recognizing emotions or cues within a social context. She recounts how she underwent an experimental treatment that temporarily stimulates a part of her brain, allowing her to pick up on these senses that she had been missing. “This is so much more alive, so much more real… so much deeper, more meaningful. It’s like black-and-white to color,” were her words describing the experience.

I wonder if Nathanael’s encounter with Jesus was like that of this woman. He had lived his whole life with a particular way of understanding the world, a frame of reference if you will. And then all of a sudden, this frame is shattered in an encounter with Christ. You see his reference point: “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” reflecting a commonly held tribalism and prejudice of the Galileans. Philip simply answers, “Come and see.” And when you continue on in the passage, you see how Jesus breaks through Nathanael’s sense of norm on multiple levels, ultimately inviting him to experience even more.

The words of Philip are the words that Jesus speaks to us today. In your life that is very much full of mundanity, in a world so divided by hatred and violence that has come to be so “normal” to us, Jesus invites you and me to experience a life that is so abundant, so otherworldly, and so meaningful that you will never wish to come back from it. But this can’t be explained to you. It requires you to “come and see.” How will God show you the greater reality of things today? May God open your eyes to the incredible reality of His Kingdom here on earth.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You that You have come to give us life and life abundant. Thank You that You have come to bring light into a dark world and hope into a hopeless world. Open my eyes this day to see You at work all around me. May I accept Your invitation today to “come and see.” Thank You for inviting me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 116

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 11:1-6:  When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is odd about Jesus’ response to John’s disciples?
2. Based on Jesus’ response, what insight can you draw concerning the time when the Expected One comes?
3. How does this challenge your sense of what is the norm, knowing that Christ has completed the work on the cross?

Notes

1. What’s odd is that Jesus never really answers their question directly—is He the Expected One? Rather, He gives what seems to be a tangential report of what’s happening around Him.
2. We can learn that the evidence of the Christ can be found in the reversal of what people have come to accept as the norm—miraculous healing and renewal. This is the evidence of the Christ. These diseases and circumstances that seemed impossible to change, Jesus changed them.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

In what ways has the Holy Spirit challenged your sense of what is the norm? How have you come to expect more from life as God invited you to come and see? If there are things that you did see, jot them down in a journal as reminders of how God is at work around you.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland.  Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles).  He was recently married to Christina.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 1:15, 20-23

John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” 20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

I was meeting a college student at a Starbucks. He had struggled with his faith early on but recently started to deepen his relationship with the Lord. In the midst of prepping for his dental school admission test (DAT), he wanted to share something that God had been teaching him through his studies. He said, “I’m starting to understand what Paul meant that we are a body. A body functions rightly when all the parts of the body, all the cells play the role that they are designed for.” I nodded in agreement. “But do you know what happens when a cell does whatever it wants to or grows in a wrong way?” he asked. “Cancer.”

Although none of us would ever consider claiming to be the Christ, I wonder if our actions would beg to differ. It astounds me to see the kind of humility John displayed in today’s passage. All these people came to him, ready to be baptized and to follow him… ready to make him a big deal. And yet we see his humble response to them. But where does this humility come from? We can see it in his response:

“I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

We see someone who understood his place in the redemptive history of God. He understood that he was called to prepare the way of the coming Christ. He understood that God had placed him in this situation at this moment for that very purpose. And he obeyed.

I sometimes wonder if in my ministry, I make myself to be Christ more than the one who prepares the way for Christ. It sounds so ridiculous that I would ever consider that I am more important than Christ, but perhaps my actions or decisions show something different. Are there ways in your life where you have become a more important character in the story of life than Christ? How do you understand your God-given role in His redemptive history? Are you walking in obedience to that masterful plot?

Prayer: Lord, You are the Author and Perfecter of my faith. I confess that I am no longer the center of my story. It is no longer about me because of what Jesus has done. Help me to understand the role I am to play in Your great story of redemption. To that, I humbly surrender. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 115

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-20: For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Questions to Consider

1. What connection is Paul making in discussing how the body functions and how a church should function?
2. In light of this message, what does it mean for each body part (the individual)?
3. Whether you know what role or part you play in the church, how does today’s devotional passages change your perspective on your life?

Notes

1. Paul masterfully demonstrates how God has orchestrated every member of a church to work together, each part uniquely and specifically, to make the whole function, much like how one body has many parts.
2. For the individual, this means that she should value the unique purpose God has placed on her life, but at the same time, recognize that her unique value does not trump the value of other members who have different purposes.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

As you reflected on the idea that God has uniquely called you to play a part in His redemptive narrative, how would you say that you are doing? Are you able to see that your life is a part of a bigger story? In what ways have you taken on the role of Christ in your own life by making it all about yourself? Take some time to journal and, if need be, repent before God.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland.  Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles).  He was recently married to Christina.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 1:4-5

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Take one quick look at the headlines, and you will find yourself wondering how to take in all the things that are going on in the world today. As a Christian, where are you to stand on things like who to vote for in the elections, how we are to view the various “_______ lives matter” movements, and the list goes on. It’s often hard to find proper methods of measuring whether or not you are being faithful to what the Lord commands of us.

But one thing that is clear from today’s devotional passage is that darkness does not comprehend the Light. In this introductory section of the Gospel of John, one of the themes being developed is that the Word that became flesh will ultimately be rejected. John is preparing his readers for what is to come—the reality that we took the life of the very One who came to give us life.

As followers of the Light, we too must accept this reality: the darkness does not comprehend the Light. We will face rejection. Not that we go out searching for conflict or rejection, but in our striving to be faithful to the Light, this will naturally lead us to butt heads with those who do not know Him.

I often find myself complaining about why life seems to go in two opposing directions, or why my thoughts and words are sometimes met with contempt. Obviously, there are times, due to my immaturity or tactlessness, that it is deserved. However, there are times in my attempt to be faithful to who Jesus is and what He desires for my life that conflict should be expected. Rejection should be expected. Mockery should be expected.

As you wrestle with what it means to live for Him on this day, be sensitive to the ways that your faithfulness to Him might lead you to dissonance with those who do not know Him. Be comforted in those moments that you might be more on the right path than if everyone in the world accepts you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for coming in flesh to be betrayed by the very people You came to save. Thank You for facing my rejection. Thank You for being the Light that overcame my darkness. As I seek to follow You, may I remember that no student is above his teacher. May Your acceptance be so much greater than the world’s rejection. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 114

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 10:26-33 (Context: This passage is found within Jesus’ commissioning of the twelve apostles. He warns them of the impending rejection and persecution that they are to face.)

So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Questions to Consider

1. How does Jesus describe the reality in which we live when we follow Him?
2. What is Jesus’ command to us in the midst of such opposition?
3. How are you responding to Jesus’ words? Do you find them comforting or disturbing? Why do you think that is?

Notes

1. Jesus describes a reality in which His disciples are sheep sent out among wolves who will persecute, mock, bring false witness against them, hated by all for His Name’s sake. Jesus says that this should be expected for believers who go out in obedience.
2. Two commands can be taken from this passage. One, be wise and blameless (v.16), and two, do not fear (v. 19, 26). However, both reveal the same reality: the Holy Spirit is with you, both for wisdom and for courage.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

As you have thought about how much this world stands in opposition to the ways of God, in what ways are you drawn to pray for this world? In what ways—family, occupation, ministry, etc.—do you feel like you are more like the world than like Jesus? As you journal your thoughts, lift up a prayer of repentance, asking the Lord to purify your heart.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from July 18-24 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland.  Joshua, a graduate of Emory University and Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles).  He was recently married to Christina.

Devotional Thought for Today

John 1:1-3, 14

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. . . . 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

It was freshman year, first semester Philosophy 100 class. I was sitting there half nervous/half curious about what was in store for me, because I had heard countless stories of people denouncing their faith while studying philosophy. It was in the midst of this tension that an unexpected connection was made: logos. Many know that logos is the Greek word for word. What we may not realize is that this term represents more than the words that we read or speak. It describes a transcendent wisdom that orders the world accordingly. When these philosophers looked out in the world and saw how everything was ordered, to them, the only rational explanation was a Divine Wisdom that held all things together.

In the beginning was the Logos… are the first words John writes to both hellenized Jews and Gentiles who are familiar with the weightiness of this word. It describes a Jesus that not only is concurrent with God but is God. And much like the held beliefs of the ancients, all things came about through Him and nothing came about apart from Him. John is claiming that Jesus is that Divine Wisdom that holds all things together, the Logos.

Even if we may not fully grasp this concept of the Logos, ask yourself, “Is Jesus this transcendent in my life?” We often think of the pictures we see hung up in church, the gorgeous Jesus with the nicely trimmed beard and flowing hair, holding a little lamb in His arms. We love those old songs that claim Jesus as our best friend. And although these things are true, perhaps we’ve lost a sense of the transcendence of Jesus? Even the pagan philosophers of old who did not know Jehovah knew that there was something out there who was greater than what our minds could ever comprehend.

Is Jesus transcendent in your life? Take a moment and allow the greatness of Jesus to flood your heart with awe and wonder. He is the answer, the beginning of all things.

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that you are indeed our greatest friend who laid down Your life for us. I also thank You that You are so much greater than anything I could ever comprehend—greater than my wisdom, my perspective, my strength. Allow my perspective of life on this day to be transformed by gazing at a God that is truly great. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 113

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 1.15-20:  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Questions to Consider

1. Highlight or jot down all the words that are used to describe Christ in this passage. What kind of picture of Christ is Paul drawing?
2. What does it mean when Paul writes that in everything [Christ] might be preeminent (verse 18, ESV)?
3. Having established the greatness of Christ, Paul writes that it is through this Christ that we have our reconciliation with God. How does understanding Christ’s preeminence enrich your understanding of salvation?

Notes

1. “image of the invisible God” “firstborn of all creation” “by him all things were created” “all things were created through him and for him” “before all things” “in him all things hold together” “the head of the body, the church” “the beginning” “firstborn from the dead” “preeminent””all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” “reconcile to himself all things” / [answers may vary] Paul is painting a picture of Christ where not only is He above all things, but He is at the center of all things; all things are by Him and for Him.
2. The dictionary defines the word preeminent as surpassing all others; very distinguished in some way. Looking at the language closely, there is a sense of intentionality, that Christ’s preeminence in all things is how God has established things, and in this, all other things are made right.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

As today’s theme was about the transcendence of Christ, in what ways were you reminded of Christ’s greatness today? In what ways have you seen the negative consequences of situations (whether in your life or in the life of others) where Christ is not preeminent? Take some time to journal your thoughts.

Editor’s Note:  Today’s Quiet Time is provided by Mei Lan Thallman.  Mei Lan Thallman is originally from Taiwan and a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.A.) in Kentucky.  She is the wife of Pastor Kirt, who serves at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia).  They have two children, Nate (13) and Naomi (11).

Devotional Thought for Today

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

I have been enjoying a new exercise class at the YMCA called Body Combat—a non-combat, martial arts-based fitness program with moves drawn from karate, tae kwan do, boxing, and muay thai. Prior to this class I had zero experience with any type of martial arts, yet I love this class for several reasons: First, exercising with others motivates me to keep going when I feel like giving up. Second, the class instructor always pushes me beyond my limit.  Just when I think I have given all I have got, she would challenge us towards the next level by pushing, kicking and working harder.   Third, I feel empowered as I learn and practice martial arts moves, like how to take basic defensive stance and offensive tactics— such as throwing punches, jabs and hooks with my hands, and different kicks with my feet. More than exercise, this class is equipping me to remain calm and have the confidence to defend myself in case of an assault.  Whenever I am throwing punches, however, I imagine my target practice as my arch enemy, Satan, and I begin to believe and act like a warrior.

Too often Christians take on a mindset of being a fearful, helpless, defenseless victim of Satan—the enemy of our soul.  The enemy tries to deceive believers into thinking that we are powerless to stand against his attacks. We are taking punches from him left and right, questioning why we are being attacked, and why God is allowing it to happen. Some even go as far as to blame God for their own fears and defeat.

God’s Word teaches us that we do have an enemy who is seeking for opportunities to strike against us: 1Peter 5:8 says, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  Scriptures also give specific commands on how to fight back as a warrior of Christ, instead of a defenseless victim: 1Peter 5:9: “Resist him, standing firm in faith”; and Ephesians 6:10-18: “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils’ schemes.”

As sons and daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords, we are born again to become mighty warriors in Christ.  Let’s keep encouraging each other to daily sharpen our sword by taking the time to soak in the Bible and to know and live the truth, so that we would be transformed and free. When the lion seeks to devour us, may we stand firm to wield the sword, to throw the punches, and to live out our true identity as mighty warriors, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ.

Prayer: Indwelling Holy Spirit, keep reminding us the truth that we are no longer slaves to fear, but that we are adopted, beloved, empowered sons and daughters of God.  Through Christ our Lord, we have the power to overcome the enemy and to live consistently as God’s mighty warriors. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 112

 

Editor’s Note:  Today’s Quiet Time is provided by Mei Lan Thallman.  Mei Lan Thallman is originally from Taiwan and a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.A.) in Kentucky.  She is the wife of Pastor Kirt, who serves at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia).  They have two children, Nate (13) and Naomi (11).

Devotional Thought for Today

1 Corinthians 3:5-11 

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul?  Only servants through whom you came to believe – as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.  By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.  But each one should be careful how he builds.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

This spring, I had the blessing to go back to Taipei, Taiwan and visit the House of Praise—the first church we loved and served for seven years.  I was deeply moved during worship, as I watched many of the old faces who were stepping up in their places to serve God as elders, deacons, worship leaders, greeters, etc.  I remembered how hard it was to leave them nine years ago, when we felt God leading us elsewhere.

But now I rejoice over how much the church family has grown as a whole, and how well they are doing under the care of the current pastor and his family.  I was overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s great faithfulness–truly God was and is the ultimate and rightful Shepherd of HOP.  Though we were blessed and privileged to be entrusted by God to care for HOP, I was also glad that we trusted and obeyed God when it was His time for us to move on.  If we didn’t, things would look very different for all of us.

The following week, I shared a meal with a family who joyfully informed me that the husband has come to faith in Christ Jesus after 15 years of witnessing and praying for him; now they are planning to be baptized as a family.  Their first exposure to Christianity was attending their sister’s baptism at HOP fifteen years ago.  But during the course of 15 years, God was using the church to lead them one by one to Himself; first, the wife, WiWi, through her sister Kathy; then the kids, Stanely and Chi Chi; and lastly the husband, Grant.

We serve a great God who is constantly at work to draw the world unto Himself through his bride, the church.  We, the church, are the living and thriving hands and feet of Christ.  God not only wants to save and sanctify us, but He longs to enthrone and reign as the cornerstone of our heart and lives.  Then, and only then, can He use us freely to build the same foundation into other people’s hearts and lives.  Let us not grow weary to keep pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly, to steadfastly and faithfully keep planting seeds, and watering into the lives of people that God brings into our path.

Prayer:  Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being the author and perfector of our faith.  Thank You that You desire not only to save us but to entrust us with the responsibility of being a thriving and active member of your church family.   Please forgive us of our tendencies to be a spectator, consumer, critic and competitor.  Fill us with more of You and Your heart for the world.  Teach us to freely, unconditionally, and boldly give away the love and grace that You so lavishly bestow upon us always.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 110-111

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 11-15 are provided by Tina Hsu, who is currently serving as a preaching-intern in East Asia. Tina is a graduate of Biola University and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for Today

Exodus 2:11-14, 23-25

Now it came about in those days, when Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brethren and looked on their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that, and when he saw there was no one around, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 He went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrews were fighting with each other; and he said to the offender, “Why are you striking your companion?”14 But he said, “Who made you a prince or a judge over us? Are you [s]intending to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the presence of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well. . . . 23 Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. 24 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

After growing up as a privileged prince in the Egyptian palace, Moses started to sense a calling or an urgency to save his Hebrew people from slavery. Sadly, Moses took things into his own hands and tried to act on behalf of the Israelite slaves by his own strength. Even worse, he did it through murder. When he could no longer watch his Hebrew brothers be so powerless, he killed an Egyptian slave master when he thought no one was looking.

Moses found out that what he did in secret was actually seen. Now Egypt is going to know that he has sided with the Hebrews. His own Hebrew brothers are against him too. He thought his intervention helped them, but his murderous act actually made things worse for them. Now that Egypt knows that someone is trying to deliver them, their labor is going to get worse and more intense. What was the outcome? Moses fled to Midian to escape Pharaoh’s anger and was in Midian for 40 years.

Moses tried to accomplish God’s task in an unrighteous manner. Even though he sensed God’s call to save Israel, God was more interested in first forming Moses’ character than simply using him to accomplish the task. God used Moses’ years of isolation in Midian to shape him as he worked as a shepherd. Perhaps Moses felt defeated and thought his life would end in Midian, but God purposed in His timing to send Moses back to Egypt. However, this time, Moses would be able to lead Israel by God’s power and God’s way.

Being driven and goal-oriented in God’s kingdom is good. We have a lot of zeal to make right what is wrong, or to fill a need, but it’s easy to take matters into our own hands; when we do that, we fail or even do God’s work in a way displeasing to Him. Without losing our passion and zeal to be used by God, we must also allow our hearts and character to be transformed so that we can carry out God’s work in a manner pleasing to Him.

Prayer: Dear God, as Your servant, You care about who I am and what I do in public and in private. Help me to live my life today with You as my only audience. Help my actions and my speech to be pleasing to You so that I may serve you effectively. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 109

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 139:1-4: O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before,
and laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it.

Questions to Consider

1. What does David’s Psalm reveal about God?
2. What does David’s Psalm reveal about us?
3. How does God’s omniscience over your life encourage you?

Notes

1. God is omniscient. He is all-knowing, not only of the things happening in this world and the purpose behind every matter, but He is all-knowing in a personal way as well. God is acquainted with our entire being (mind, heart, body, intentions, etc.).
2. David’s Psalm reveals that we may don’t know ourselves as well as God knows us. We may not understand ourselves as well as God does. It requires us to ask God to search us so that we understand ourselves better.
3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection  

Colossians 3:23-24 reads, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”  Who do you serve?  If it really were God, how would our daily lives be different at home and at work? Bette Milder, in her “From a Distance,” sang, “God is watching us.”  He does, always, to guide and help us so that we are never lost in Him.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 11-15 are provided by Tina Hsu, who is currently serving as a preaching-intern in East Asia. Tina is a graduate of Biola University and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for Today

Exodus 2:1-10

Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a daughter of Levi. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was beautiful, she hid him for three months. 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got him a wicker basket and covered it over with tar and pitch. Then she put the child into it and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister stood at a distance to find out what would happen to him.5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women that she may nurse the child for you?” 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Go ahead.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Then Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child away and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages.” So the woman took the child and nursed him. 10 The child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. And she named him Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.”

God shapes us uniquely for His purpose from the very beginning of our lives. We can certainly see a glimpse of God’s purpose for Moses from his birth. He was born during Pharaoh’s population control program. In order to control Israel’s population growth and potential to rise in power, he made the Israelites serve as slaves and formed an edict for all newborn Hebrew boys to be thrown into the Nile River.

Being a Hebrew boy, Moses faced the danger of the Nile at his birth. Yet God protected His life by using three women and a box made out of reeds. In biblical history, Moses is the first “dropbox baby.”  Instead of casting him straight into the Nile, Moses’ mom made a box and placed him inside it, in hopes that someone may discover him and spare his life. Then, Moses’ sister followed Moses’ box as he helplessly went down the river and was found by Pharaoh’s daughter. It seems obvious that Pharaoh’s daughter would follow her father’s decree to cast Moses into the Nile, but she saw him and had compassion on him. Being a strategic sister, Moses’ sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter (v. 7) if she could help bring Moses back to a Hebrew woman who could nurse him, without revealing that she would bring him back to his mother. The moment Pharaoh’s daughter said, “Go ahead,” Moses’ life was preserved.

God’s favor was upon Moses since his birth to carefully preserve a deliverer for His people. Moses was born as part of the oppressed population, but God provided royal protection for Moses, and allowed him to grow up among the powerful, inside the palace of the world’s greatest nation. At the right time, despite trials and setbacks, Moses would later lead Israel out of Egypt. God prepared the events in Moses’ life so that Moses could walk into God’s unique purpose for him. Nothing about him being spared from Pharaoh’s edict was a result of his choosing and doing—it was entirely the Lord’s doing. This morning, reflect on the events and circumstances in your childhood, upbringing, and background. What privileges, experiences, and even hardships has God placed in your life, so that you could serve Him with a unique purpose?

Prayer: Praise the Lord, for You are so kind and compassionate.  There certainly have been some good as well as not-so-good moments in my life, and I thank You for all of them because through them, You continue to teach me what it means to love and depend on You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 108

Lunch Break Study

2 Samuel 17:33-38: Then Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth.”34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant was tending his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went out after him and attacked him, and rescued it from his mouth; and when he rose up against me, I seized him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.” 38 Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor.

Questions to Consider

1. What challenge is David accepting?
2. Why does David think he is able to go against Goliath?
3. In hindsight, David’s experience of tending and protecting sheep from danger prepared him for a greater task of fighting against Israel’s enemies. What prior experience/job do you think God used to form and prepare you for what He calls you to do today?

Notes

1. David is motivated to fight on behalf of Saul’s army against Goliath the Philistine, a warrior giant.
2. David believes that his prior experience as a shepherd boy has equipped him to face Goliath. God’s hand has helped him to protect sheep from the mouth of lions and bears. He trusts that God will not fail to protect him (and Israel) from the hand of Goliath, who is cursing God’s name and His people.
3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection  

We are not saved by works (Eph. 2:8-9), but we are certainly saved and transformed to do the work of the Lord. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” Reflect on how God has been preparing you in every season of your life to be His workmanship.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from July 11-15 are provided by Tina Hsu, who is currently serving as a preaching-intern in East Asia. Tina is a graduate of Biola University and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for Today

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 

Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require from you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 

One of the easiest words to resist, or even despise, is when our parents or a person in authority sets up rules and says, “I tell you this for your good” or “I tell you this because I care for you.” Naturally, in our sinful nature, we want to be autonomous, independent, and the judge of right and wrong. Similarly, our hearts, when ignorant of God says, “I know the best for myself.” Scripture helps us to see that God’s commands are not burdensome or joy-killers. They don’t rob us of freedom. They are actually for our good. God’s Word helps us to live in our new freedom in Christ and to walk into His blessings and promises.

In this morning’s passage, God instructs Israel through Moses to devote themselves to His words and commands, so that they may victoriously go in to possess the land God had promised to their forefathers. God exhorts and instructs for their good. He desires them to inherit His promise in His way and by His power. Ever since coming out of Egypt, the Israelites had many episodes of straying from God and doubting Him, including the time they worshipped the golden calf. It was important for Israel to learn to keep the Lord’s commandments, so that they could enter and possess the land through listening to God’s voice, instruction, and ways. The more they trust and keep God’s Word, the less they will fear crossing the Jordan and driving out nations that are stronger and greater than them. Though God’s commands required devotion and obedience, His commandments were for their good and for their future inheritance.

In light of this, let’s reflect about how God’s convictions and commands are for our good. What is God calling you to obey today, and how do you think your obedience will be for your good?

Prayer: Dear God, help me to trust that Your commandments are not burdensome. Instead, they are for my good. Train my ears and tune my heart to follow Your ways, so that I can experience Your promises and blessings in my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 107

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 5:24-27: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is Jesus implying by using imagery of the house, rock, sand, wind, flood, and rain?
2. What is the Jesus’ main exhortation to us in this passage?
3. Why do you think Jesus calls his teachings/commands a rock? How has God’s word been a “rock” in your life recently?

Notes

1. By using the imagery of wind, flood, and rain, Jesus is implying that trials, hardships, and difficult times will come. The righteous, those who are God’s children by faith, are not exempt from facing trials. The house represents our life and personhood. The rock represents Jesus’ teaching, whereas sand represents man’s own ways.
2. He is exhorting us to hear and obey His words, because those who live life (or build his/her life) according to God’s ways are able to remain steady and strong even though trials and hardships are overwhelming and difficult.
3. Personal Response.

Evening Reflection  

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). What do you live by? What do you crave for?