Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from April 27-May 1 are provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  Peter, a graduate of U.C. Riverside and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Talbot.  He and his wife Jessica have three very active children: Nathan, Abigail, and Jason. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 20:22-24

 And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

In today’s passage, we see that Paul is “compelled” by the Spirit of God. For most of us, this is when our hearts pause to say, “Uh oh…what if one day the Holy Spirit forces me to do something that I really don’t want to do?”

One reason that often challenges people from wanting to grow spiritually is this kind of thinking:  “I don’t want God to send me to India for the rest of my life.” There’s an assumption that if you mature spiritually, then God will take away everything you currently have and enjoy, and then, send you out to a needy mission field with nothing but a backpack full of evangelism tracts.

Another reason is this: According to the Barna Group (a Christian polling group), they found that the number one challenge to helping people grow spiritually is that most people equate spiritual maturity with trying hard to follow the rules in the Bible (https://www.barna.org/barna-update/faith-spirituality/264-many-churchgoers-and-faith-leaders-struggle-to-define-spiritual-maturity#.VyO6UvkrLIU). It’s no wonder that many people are not motivated to grow spiritually. Who wants to become a self-righteous rule-follower?

If you hold to either of these ideas—first of all, YES, you are right! Yes, Jesus does invite us to go to all nations preaching the gospel. And yes, following Jesus does involve obedience to His commands. But if that’s what’s really keeping you from diving deeper in your faith, perhaps you may have a short-sighted view of God’s commands and God’s mission to the world.

Certainly a wise and loving God isn’t merely interested in creating a community of rigid rule-followers, or is He? Or that His mission is only accomplished by “compelling” stubborn people to go to places they don’t really want to travel to?

Today, I want to introduce you to a video put forth by the Bible Project. (I suggest that you subscribe to their youtube channel, if you haven’t already.) Hope this video will help in breaking down some assumptions and but will highlight God’s love for His children.  Just in case you aren’t able to view it, let me give you the short version:  nothing worthwhile doing in life is ever easy, including following God’s call.  What the Lord guarantees, however, is that the life we live in and through Him is far more meaningful than anything else we might have done.  Paul, as he
was facing his last days, declared, ^“ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day” (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BGO9Mmd_cU&list=PLH0Szn1yYNec-HZjVHooeb4BSDSeHhEoh&index=6

For reflection:

After watching the video, how does that shape your view of Scripture, especially the Law and the Prophets? How do you see Jesus as One who came to fulfill the law?

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 23

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from April 27-May 1 are provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  Peter, a graduate of U.C. Riverside and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Talbot.  He and his wife Jessica have three very active children: Nathan, Abigail, and Jason. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 20:25-35

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

A month ago, an international student from Korea visited our church on a Friday evening. Our International Students Ministry was gathering for a casual, potluck dinner in order to introduce their ministry of studying God’s word with any international students who showed interest. Most of the international students in attendance were from China; and more or less, they were just looking to make some new friends while studying abroad.

Now, in my conversation with the student from Korea, I discovered that she had attended church while living in Korea. However, after some time of having been more involved in the church, she arrived at the conclusion that Christianity was basically a “man-made religion, out for people’s money.” So, once she made that claim to me, I just had to ask why she decided to join us for dinner.

Well, it turned out that she was invited by one of the Chinese international student—it was presented to her that it was a dinner party at a friends’ place (which was actually true). But the “place” just happened to be at a “church.” I’m sure she must have been surprised when the car parked in front of a church building. (She had even brought a bottle of apple cider for the host.) To her credit, she was cordial and friendly. While she was honest about her views, she was also willing to be a good sport for the evening, being fully engaged in the dinner and the introductions.

As the evening concluded, there were smiles on her face. And she commented that while she wouldn’t return for the follow-up gatherings, she genuinely had a nice time meeting some of the church members over dinner. Our church members knew to respect her views and not to be preachy, all the while offering our friendship.

Yet, I was saddened that she had arrived at wrong conclusions about God’s church. I think of the world when I think about the body of Christ. I don’t expect today’s readers to be naïve and assume that everything in all churches is honky dory. But wow, when I see the kind of person that Paul was, I’m inspired! As I meet pastors who live sacrificially and with integrity for the gospel, I grow in my confidence. And if that’s not enough, how about the fact that Jesus paid for the church with His own blood? And what organization can make that claim?

Prayer

Lord, reveal to us in a fresh manner the works that You are doing in Your church today. God, if I’ve been cynical about Your church, I ask that You renew my heart and passion for Your Son. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 21-22

 

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from April 27-May 1 are provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  Peter, a graduate of U.C. Riverside and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Talbot.  He and his wife Jessica have three very active children: Nathan, Abigail, and Jason. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 20:7-12

⁷ On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. ⁸ There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. ⁹ Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” ¹¹ Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. ¹² The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

Do you ever feel as though you just never have enough time to get to everything done throughout the day? Then tomorrow just brings another onslaught of demands and expectations? Don’t you wish you just had more TIME?

For many people, time is the most valuable commodity. If we just had more time, we’d feel as though we were more productive or accomplished. The truth is, time is the one commodity that all human beings have equally. That may not be the case with money or talent, but as for time, not one person has any more or any less. We say “24/7” because that is exactly what we have been given. So, how will you spend some of your precious time to grow in the Lord?

The early church came together on the first day of the week to celebrate the Lord and break bread together. In today’s passage, it looks as though, at least for this one day, the church spent all of their time hearing God’s teachings through Paul. Could you imagine spending the entire Sunday with your church engaging in the teachings of God?

NT Wright comments: “Many Christians will find, for all kinds of reasons, that Sunday is a difficult day to attend long church services. But we should remind ourselves that the earliest Christians lived in a world where Sunday was the first day of the working week, much like our Monday, and that they valued its symbolism so highly that they were prepared to get up extra early both to celebrate Easter once again and to anticipate the final Eighth Day of Creation, the start of the new week, the day when God will renew all things” (Surprised by Hope).

I’m not suggesting that we should turn our church services to 18 hour ordeals. But don’t you think that the more we spend time in the presence of the Lord and His Word, the more likely we will grow spiritually? And maybe, just maybe, we might even witness a supernatural miracle simply because we stayed long enough—imagine what that will do for our faith!

So the next time your church is inviting you to a weekend retreat, a 2-day conference, or even an hour-long prayer meeting, why not spend your valuable time in the presence of the Lord?

Prayer

Lord, I need Your help in prioritizing my time with You. All of my personal business and agendas demand my time, and I seem to give some leftover time to You. Help me in committing my best and my first day of the week to worship You and to learn from You. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 20

Lunch Break Study

James 4:13-16

¹³ Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—¹⁴ yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

Questions to Consider

1. What is the stern warning that James delivers to his listeners?
2. Why does James warn the believers who are trying to make a profit?

Notes  

1. James warns the believers to not arrogantly assume that they will insulate themselves from difficulties by becoming rich.
2. James reminds the believers that there is no way to predict the future; God alone controls it.

Evening Reflection

Did you spend time today in building up your relationship with God? To deepen your trust in Him? How do you plan to spend time tomorrow in order to see God at work around your life?

Reflect upon your day and seek God’s wisdom for tomorrow.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from April 27-May 1 are provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  Peter, a graduate of U.C. Riverside and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Talbot.  He and his wife Jessica have three very active children: Nathan, Abigail, and Jason. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 20:4

He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

Now, be honest: Have you ever looked at someone on your Facebook friend’s list and decided that it was time to “unfollow” them? But given that you cannot just de-friend that person, since that would be perceived as immature, passive-aggressive behavior, Facebook has given you the wonderful option to “stay” friends—that way the other person assumes that the two of you still have a friendship.

Okay, maybe it’s not that complicated for you. Today, we live in an age where we actually think we have hundreds, if not thousands, of “friends” via social media. Unfortunately, research reveals something else: “According to data from the General Social Survey (GSS), the number of Americans who say they have no close friends has roughly tripled in recent decades. ‘Zero’ is also the most common response when people are asked how many confidants they have, the GSS data show. And adult men seem to be especially bad at keeping and cultivating friendships” (Time, Mar. 2015).

As Paul traveled from city to city preaching the gospel, he faced constant opposition and persecution. However, he also added friends and trusted companions who accompanied Paul on his mission. These are what one pastor calls “spiritual friends.” A spiritual friend is someone who deliberately helps you to pay attention to God. And because we are hugely shaped through relationships, a spiritual friend plays a vital role in our own spiritual growth.

One of the qualities of a spiritual friend is that you have an admiration or a sense of respect for the person’s relationship with God. Another quality is that he/she is willing to risk discomforts in your relationship to point you towards God (Proverbs 27:6: “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses”).

In reality, you don’t need hundreds of these “spiritual friends,” but certainly you do need a few. Take a quick inventory of your life: Do you have a spiritual friend? If so, keep cultivating that relationship. If not, ask yourself why you don’t have one. Have you been purposefully keeping them away? Begin asking God for a few of these in your life.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for all of the friendships in my life. Teach me to cultivate spiritual friendships where we may be able to speak truthfully with love into each other’s lives. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 19

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Sam 18:1-4: After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

Questions to Consider

1. How does the author describe the friendship between David and Jonathan?
2. What does Jonathan do in making a covenant relationship with David as his true friend?

Notes 

1. In using the phrase, “loved him as himself,” we are reminded of Jesus’ second greatest commandment— to love our neighbor as ourselves.
2. By removing his robe, which was a royal robe (as a son of King Saul), and giving it to David, Jonathan was renouncing his claim to the throne. He also gave to David his daily warrior’s sword and bow. Jonathan’s gifts to David represent his willingness to give up and transfer his particular position as heir to the throne of Israel.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time praying for your friends. Perhaps you can reach out to them by asking how you can pray for them. Express your gratitude to them for their friendship.

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT Devotionals from April 27-May 1 are provided by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.  Peter, a graduate of U.C. Riverside and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Talbot.  He and his wife Jessica have three very active children: Nathan, Abigail, and Jason. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 20:1-3a

When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye and set out for Macedonia. ² He traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece, ³ where he stayed three months.

Who is your biggest encourager in your faith?

An uproar had just been quieted by a reasonable city clerk in Ephesus. This uproar had been caused by a crowd opposing the ministry of the gospel. Wherever Paul and his companions traveled, opposition and persecution often pursued. Yet what is amazing is that though Paul faced discouraging situations and circumstances, he pressed forward, even while encouraging the younger believers to remain faithful to the Lord.

We will consider where Paul received the constant drive to keep going later during the Lunch Break study. But for now, let us consider how encouragement helps us to remain faithful to the Lord and His ministry. Personally, some of the most meaningful encouragements have often come from testimonies of brothers and sisters in our church.  Recently, as I was listening to testimonies of spiritual growth and transformation that each person had experienced through God’s grace at our church, I was overwhelmed with encouragement of how God was at work in each person’s life— I realized how oblivious I had been to God’s work right under my nose.

At home, we placed a growth chart on the wall of our children’s bedroom. Each new season, we measure our children’s height. Most of the days, we are oblivious and unaware that our children are growing, but with each new measurement, we are always amazed at just how much they have grown in just a short time.

In the same way, I may not be always aware that spiritual growth and transformation are taking place right within our church family. But when I pause to hear a testimony, I am amazed at God’s work of growth and transformation, and that encourages me tremendously in the midst of trying and difficult challenges.

In your life, how do you receive encouragement from others as you serve in God’s Kingdom? It’s important that we be challenged, taught, and corrected, but at the same time, how are you being encouraged in your faith today? How are you encouraging others in their faith?

Prayer

Lord, in my own weakness, I confess that I need encouragement from You and from others in the body of Christ. I ask also that I may be empowered by Your Spirit to bring encouragement to others. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Phil 1:3-6 (NIV): I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

1. Why does Paul pray with joy as he prays for the Philippian church?
2. What is the basis of Paul’s confidence that God’s work will be completed in the lives of the Philippian church members?

Notes 

1. Paul’s joy resulted in his partnership with the Philippian church in the work of the gospel. One way in which they partnered with Paul was in giving financially (2 Cor. 8:3) even out of their poverty.
2. Paul was confident that God who initiated His good work would sovereignly and faithfully complete His work in the lives of the Philippians.

Evening Reflection

As you reflect back on today’s conversations with others, were you able to bring an encouragement to someone? As you look forward to tomorrow’s schedule, is there someone that you might be able to encourage?

Editor’s Note:  Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written 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 Thoughts for Today

Ephesians 4:1-3

I (Paul) therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

The media often portrays conservative Christians as being not too intelligent. A while back, a prominent writer for TIME magazine quipped that Christian conservatives are “poor, uneducated and easy to command.” While I hope that’s not the case today, I know for a fact that it wasn’t so in the early church when some of the best and brightest minds led the new faith.

The 2^nd century church spent much time combating Gnosticism, which proposed that Christ’s work on the cross was “purely spiritual…and that the human life and death of Jesus played no role in redemption.”[1] Irenaeus effectively refuted Gnosticism by using passages such as Romans 5. Olson writes, “Because Christ is the second Adam…; God reverses Adam’s life that resulted in corruption. For Irenaeus, Christ provided redemption by going through the entire scope of human life and…reversing the disobedience of Adam….” This was an essential point that Irenaeus emphasized, as it established redemption as a process of restoring creation rather than escaping creation, as in Gnostic heresy. Through Irenaeus, Christian theology became rooted in the truth that without Christ’s full divinity and humanity, salvation is impossible.

Because of his influence, Irenaeus was called upon to resolve all types of conflicts. One such non-essential conflict was the Quartodeciman controversy, which centered around whether Easter should be celebrated on Passover (the Quartodeciman position) or on Sunday[2]. After much debate, Victor, the bishop of Rome, was so fed up with the Quartodecimans that he excommunicated them from the church. Although Irenaeus believed that Easter should be celebrated on Sunday, he admonished Victor to preserve unity in the body of Christ. For Irenaeus, the fact that the Lord’s resurrection was being celebrated by both parties was sufficient.

As Christians, may we not only learn from Irenaeus’ writings but also from his eagerness to “maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Let’s pray for wisdom to engage in essential conflicts and to preserve unity otherwise.

Prayer: Lord, as I often engage in arguments and conflicts for the sake of doing so, give me the wisdom to fight over what is crucial and the discernment to look over non-essential issues. Help me to mediate the conflicts around me with Your peace and love. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

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

[2] https://www.gci.org/church/holidays/passover

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 17

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Cor. 1:10-12: I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Questions to Consider

1. What appears to be the problem described in the above passage? What would be its modern equivalent?
2. What is so sad and tragic about this problem?
3. What realization is necessary in order to keep the believers with a strong conviction from beating each other up?

Notes

1. The Christians who favored or followed different Bible teachers became divisive probably because they insisted that their teacher was more biblical and spiritual than others. This would be equivalent to Calvinists and Arminians arguing over who is more faithful to the Scripture.
2. The believers, while arguing over matters relating to the Bible and God, end up losing their Christian testimony before the world. It shows that the Christians are no different than the feuding politicians and contentious businessmen.
3. They have to realize that Christ cannot be divided, that no human teacher can be placed above Him. Sometimes, the best policy is to agree to disagree, and leave it at that. As long as we agree on the essentials of our faith, we have reason to maintain the Christian unity in Christ.

Evening Reflection

As you wrap up this day, think about those situations that are slowly dividing your family and/or church: Are you part of the problem or solution? Please spend some time in prayer to ask God what to do. If you are the one causing the division, repent and ask for forgiveness; if not, then, ask God for boldness to address the divisive individual. Remember what Christ said: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— ²³ I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity” (Jn. 17:22-3).

Editor’s Note:  Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written by Pastor Andrew Kim at Tapestry Church.  Andrew, a graduate of Eternity Bible College, is currently attending Fuller Theological Seminary.  He and Jessie were married in 2014.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Ephesians 1:3 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places

A renowned scholar Walter Brueggemann suggests that so much of our societal ills that continue to plague our culture are caused by embracing a mentality of scarcity. In other words, we always feel as though we never have enough. As a result, our lives are characterized by constant dissatisfaction and frustration, which inevitably leads to a perpetual need to buy the next best thing or to find a more fulfilling relationship in an effort to feel full and satisfied. However, the sad fact is that no matter how many promotions we receive or how much money we make, it still feels like it’s not enough. It is no surprise that so many people in our culture constantly struggle with a profound sense of emptiness.

As Christians, we are not immune to this. Countless believers wrestle with the same issues as they compare their lives to those around them. At the root of this problem is that we so easily forget the amazing truth of Scripture. In Ephesians 1:3, the Apostle Paul reminds us that at the point of conversion, we have received every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In other words, all that we could ever want is ours in Christ Jesus and have now become people of abundance rather than scarcity. This is true of us no matter what our circumstances might indicate, because the blessings of heaven have been eternally secured by the work of Christ in the gospel! In those moments of emptiness, I want to encourage you to look to the word of God and remind yourself that you have more than enough— in Christ you have received more than you deserve and have been filled to the brim by the grace of God!

Prayer: Father, forgive me once again for my greed and lack of dependence on You.  Remind me constantly that Christ is all sufficient in my life.  Thanks for having given me all that I possess, including health and relationships.  Motivate me to share what I have with those in need. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Ecclesiastes 6:10: Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless

Luke 18:9: To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else . . .

1 Tim. 6:10: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. . . .

1 Tim. 6:17: Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Questions to Consider

1. According to King Solomon and Apostle Paul, respectively, what should we look out for when we seek to be financially secure?
2. What are some factors that might make us feel as though we do not have enough money even though we have plenty in the bank?
3. What should we do instead with respect to wealth? How are you managing your wealth?

Notes

1. Solomon warns that no amount of money will lead to the feeling of having enough—he ought to know since he was the richest man in Israel. Paul warns that loving money will lead to all kinds of conflicts that lead to much headache.
2. Two factors: first, humans always compare, and as a result, they inevitably find someone who has more money than they which leads to dissatisfaction; second, since we realize that wealth is not certain, we try to amass as much as possible for rainy days.
3. We are told not to put our trust in wealth, which means two things: first, engage in activities other than making money (like helping people); two, be generous with your money.

Evening Reflection

Reflect on Paul’s philosophy on possessions: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Tim. 6:7).  Now reflect on Agur’s thought on wealth: “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God” (Prov. 30:8b-9).

In light of that, what is your philosophy on wealth?  Do you need to making any adjustments?

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for April 17-24 are provided by Christine Li.  Christine graduated from University of Pennsylvania and currently lives and works in New York City.  She attends Remnant Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 19:21-22

After all this had happened, Paul decided^[d] to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.” ²² He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia a little longer.

For the last couple Christmas vacations, my younger brother and I have passed away our time by buying ourselves at least one new video game to play together. This past year, we bought our game with very little time left, so we used a walk-through manual to help us. The manual gave us all the tactics to solve different puzzles and to prepare against different enemies. After playing the game for a couple of days, I felt oddly dissatisfied with the experience. We were beating the game, but having all the answers completely detracted from the joy of actually playing and experiencing it.

Isn’t it common that we also endlessly seek clarity for our steps in life? We think: “What degree should I get?” “What city should I move to?” “What ministry should I be a part of?” Sometimes, we think that it will be easier if God just lays out the steps in front of us. We might, after all, feel more in-control or assured if we just have the directions.

Good thing God knows our hearts and that, if we had all the answers, we would completely miss out on the entire process of exploring this world with Him. Even the Apostle Paul didn’t always know where He was going; even as a seasoned itinerant preacher, he still relied on the Spirit to give him direction – the phrase used here in Greek is “determined in the Spirit.” Paul could never have anticipated what would come with each day – jail, riots, beatings, or the occasional good reception. But from all accounts, he was always led by God’s Spirit and testified in joy of God’s goodness.

One analogy to help us remember this type of lifestyle is that our journey of following God is not one with the map showing all the twists and turns; rather, the journey is like following the GPS, step by step. God has a good journey planned for us. Is it the one you want to travel on? Let us give up our desire to control our paths or know all the answers. Instead, let’s continue to seek His presence and His leading at every juncture.

Prayer: Father, You know that I don’t always enjoy the unseen and unknown. It is sometimes hard to trust that You know where You are leading me and that the path is good. Help me give up on needing to have all the answers in front of me and enjoy the journey You have before me. Remind me that my good Father is working everything out for me today!

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 15

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for April 17-23 are provided by Christine Li.  Christine graduated from University of Pennsylvania and currently lives and works in New York City.  She attends Remnant Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 19:17-19

When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a collection of funny short stories I used read as a child. The main character, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, spends all of her time with the children of the neighborhood and cleverly instills various good habits in them. One such situation is called “The Radish Cure,” where one of the girls refuses to take baths. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle instructs the parents to let their daughter stop taking baths as she wishes. The daughter begins to get dirt and grime caked on her, and one night her parents secretly plant radish seeds on her. The next morning, the girl is horrified to find little sprouts on her body and immediately begs her parents to let her take a bath.

Repentance, in many ways, is like the discipline of taking a daily shower, because it involves us going to God to purify and cleanse us. But just as children try to avoid baths by insisting that they are not so dirty, we might try to avoid this daily practice. Because we don’t always immediately feel the consequences of our sins, we fail to see how essential repentance is. If we keep on insisting that we don’t have to repent, it is possible that we will become so mired and trapped in our ways that only a very dangerous or scary situation will awaken our senses.

Here at Ephesus, a terrifying encounter with evil spirits struck the fear of the Lord into the people’s hearts; what resulted was a massive outpouring of confession and repentance from sorcery. This was a great testimony, as it incited a large wave of repentance. But, we don’t have to wait for a traumatizing event to come clean before the Lord! He is at hand, so we can constantly approach Him to receive His grace.

Let’s go to Him now and ask Him to gently wash us clean again. As we humbly acknowledge that we are constantly sinning against Him and need forgiveness, we might find that repentance is a habit that can become more and more natural to us.

Prayer: Father, I am a sinner! I have so many disobedient thoughts and habits that go against Your holiness. Thank You for sending Your son, Jesus, so that I can be made righteous in Your sight and enjoy Your love forever. Remind me of Your grace all over again, and let me turn from my own ways to Your life-bringing habits.

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 13-14

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for April 17-23 are provided by Christine Li.  Christine graduated from University of Pennsylvania and currently lives and works in New York City.  She attends Remnant Church in Manhattan.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 19:4-6

Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

My dad has always stuck out to me as being exceptionally steadfast and solid in his faith, so I asked him how he came to know Christ in grad school. He said that he had grown up going to church only to please his mother, and he had no intention of keeping that up in America. Despite that resolution, he found himself going back to church each Sunday and even attending Bible studies. One day, realizing that he was spending a lot of time in these Christian activities, he decided that he should just continue to follow Jesus Christ. I was dumbfounded. That was it? Given my experience of his faithfulness and love for God, I was surprised that there was no dramatic moment or revelation that set it all in motion.

Similarly, I find this account to be so incredible. All throughout Acts, we have seen miraculous signs and wonders and impassioned speeches. Paul, too, being a learned man, has debated with thinkers and non-believers in public forums. But here, there was no extra debate, no extra proving from the Scriptures, no miraculous deeds to wow them with. All Paul had to do was tell them that John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, and suddenly the church gained twelve new believers.

I have spent a lot of time over the years trying to learn fresh ways to present the gospel to unbelieving friends or studying counter-arguments to win them over with. Maybe you have as well, and it is great that we have made the effort to prepare in these ways. But let’s remember that is it the simple truth of God’s love that wins people over. Instead of relying on clever presentation or preparation, let’s put more trust in God’s Spirit to work in our words, no matter how simple the message might sound.

Today, let’s spend some time reflecting on the simple, foundational truths from the Bible. We might find that even a truth as simple as “God loves you” can stir up a fire in our hearts all over again!

Prayer: Father, thank You for making Your love so easy to convey and so easy to accept. I admit that pride motivates me to find a way to impressively convey Your message. Help me to trust in Your Spirit instead of my own means so that I can attribute all of the glory and credit to You when someone believes in You!

Bible Reading for Today: Psalm 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 9:32-37: But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. 33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36 He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Questions to Consider

1. Note the disciples’ reactions to Jesus in both verse 32 and verse 34. What does this say about their relationship with Jesus? Does it reflect our relationship with Jesus?
2. Why does Jesus respond to them in this way in verse 35? Is His response significant?
3. Why does Jesus encourage the disciples to welcome children in the middle of his teaching? What can we learn from welcoming children?

Notes

1. In v.32, Jesus is speaking plainly about His coming death and resurrection, but the disciples are too confused to ask Him to better understand it. In v.33, they are striving internally to know their evaluations, but they are ashamed to come before Him openly. In both instances, the disciples withdrew from Jesus. They were afraid to learn from Him and preferred to dispute amongst themselves (not dissimilar to ourselves)!
2. Despite the disciples’ reluctance to face Jesus with their questions, He proactively sits them down to teach them the very thing they were disputing about. He knows their doubts and their warring nature; yet He does not rebuke them but gently teaches them what they need to know.
3. The disciples are concerned with whether or not they can understand Jesus’ messages. A child cannot fully understand a message but can understand being loved and cared for. What qualifies someone to be welcomed into the fold of God is not scholarship but the ability to perceive, accept, and enjoy His love.

Evening Reflection

Jesus loves you, God is good. Sometimes when we hear these simple messages too frequently, they lose impact. Let’s refresh our hearts by dwelling in just one simple concept you know from the Bible and thinking about whether our lives are really built on these foundations. Let’s pray that as we meditate on these truths, God will remind us how impactful these simple sentences actually are.