Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from April 11 to 17 are provided by Pastor Yohan of Radiance Christian Church, San Francisco.  Yohan graduated from University of Pennsylvania and Cairn University, where he studied theology.  He is married to Mandie, and they have four children: Maggie, Jonathan, Abigail and Simon.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 17:5-7

But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

We have a ton of Legos in my home, and I have to admit that I think they are really cool toys.  I enjoy the craftsmanship of having to put together complex sets, as well as the creativity it takes to make something original. I even find collecting the mini-figures intoxicating.  But one thing that I hate about Legos is when I have to clean and sort all those small pieces.  What I hate most is when those pieces are all over the floor and I step on a misplaced one—it hurts so much!  I realize my kids don’t mind stepping on Legos as much as I do because they are light: It’s simple physics: F=ma (Force = mass x acceleration); less mass accelerating on a Lego equals less force on a foot and less pain.  My kids basically run over those hazardous Legos like those Polynesian fire walkers.

The other day, my overweight foot stepped on one of those darn Legos, and I proceeded to yell at my son for not putting them away.  My son looked at me, and said, “Dad, I didn’t leave that there, you did.”  Now at that point, most rational people will stop or apologize, but not me.  I was angry and hurt and someone was going to get in trouble: “Well, they are your Legos!” I yelled.  Then I started looking around the house for any way to punish my son.  “Who left those pencils out?  Put those away!  Did you leave your crayons out?  Do your homework!”  I later apologized for my childishness.

In today’s passage, I see a lot of myself in this crowd.  When I am angry, I care less about justice than I do about making sure someone gets punished.  The mob in Thessalonica came in search of Paul, but because they could not find him, they settled for punishing Jason and some of the other disciples.  Would Paul have been a better option for the mob?  Sure, but it didn’t really matter. They were angry, and they needed someone to blame—anyone would have done.

How about you?  When you are angry, hurt, or under emotional duress, do you become irrational?  Do you say ugly things to your spouse or friends that you wish you could take back?  Do you excuse yourself because you were in the “heat of the moment”?  Is that fair or becoming of a man/woman of God?  Today, let’s not act like a crazy mob, looking to punish anyone.  Let’s resolve to have Christ’s patience, to act in love, and keep a cool head.

Prayer: Lord, give me patience today, and help me to develop the fruit of patience in my life.  Help me to have control over my emotions and not say anything regrettable to those close to me.  Help me to love justice and to be a fair administrator of it.

Bible Reading for Today:  Psalm 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law[b] of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so,  but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Questions to Consider

1. Track the regression of this hypothetical person in verse 1.
2. Make two or three comparisons/contrasts between the righteous and the wicked.
3. Are you like a tree planted by the streams of water?  Do you delight in the law of the Lord?

Notes

1. Verse 1 illustrates the entangling nature of sin:  At first, you walk in some ill behavior or thought pattern, but you are still active—meaning, you know it’s wrong and that you shouldn’t partake in it.  Then after ignoring the Spirit’s rebuke, you stand in it and get a little more comfortable.  Soon you are sitting in the seat of scoffers.
2. The righteous man delights in and meditates on God’s word; he is rooted like a tree, bears fruit, and prospers or grows.  The wicked man, in contrast, is unsteady/easily shaken, and ultimately will not survive testing.
3. All the characteristics of a righteous person are founded on reading, meditating, and obeying God’s word.  I know for most of us, studying God’s word sometimes feels like a chore, but press on—I know you will come to love it.

Evening Reflection

When was the last time you thought about your character?  Take, for example, the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Are there one or two of those that are glaring deficiencies in your life?  Have you come to enjoy spending time in God’s word?  Take some time to pray this evening about one area you’d like to grow in.

 

 

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 16:22-30

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

My Hebrew professor taught our class about something she called “the suffering witness.” As we studied the life of Naomi, and how Ruth managed to somehow come to faith in Yahweh even as Naomi suffered and appeared forsaken by Him, and then studied the life of Job and how he teaches us about God—not in spite of, but through his suffering—she explained that sometimes we are positioned to be a greater witness for God as we move through suffering than we are as we move through times of abundance. Sometimes, the voice of our witness carries a little further and echoes a little louder from the valley than it does from the mountaintop.

To drive this point home, she told the story of a missionary to Burma who lived for years with the Matu tribe with not one single convert. Although he was welcomed by the tribe and did life together with them for many years, no one professed faith in Jesus. As he neared the end of His life and eventually died, another missionary arrived and, to everyone’s surprise, saw almost instant revival in the community with too many converts to keep track. When the chief of the Matu people was asked what made the difference (assuming it was something this new missionary was doing well), he explained that they were drawn to the faith by the life and witness of the first missionary. But they were unwilling to fully buy in and accept His message until they saw how he died. They were waiting to see how he died, how he moved through the greatest moment of human suffering, in order to fully evaluate the merits of his message of the gospel. And obviously he died well, because when his successor stepped on the scene, he couldn’t baptize the converts fast enough.

When Paul and Silas were thrown in jail, Luke writes that they spent the night praying and singing hymns to God. And he notes that their response to the situation was in the hearing of the other prisoners. Not only this, but when they were freed by supernatural means, they stayed put (knowing that Roman law required guards be put to death for losing track of prisoners). Their witness in a time of suffering spoke volumes and led to the conversion of their jailer who, beholding the whole thing, was filled with awe and fear of the Lord.

More often than not, we want alleviation of difficult circumstances so badly that we forget to worship God where we are and allow Him to use us even in suffering. But may we remember today that our suffering witness is extremely powerful in the hands of our Faithful God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to surrender times of difficulty and suffering to You for Your glory. As the song says, “I will fall at your feet and worship you here…” in the midst of trials, in the face of suffering, as I move through difficulties, right here I choose to worship. May my suffering witness speak volumes to those around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 30

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 16:16-21

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

A local pastor told the story of a man who, in response to a radio station ad promising $10,000 to whomever could come up with the craziest way to earn the money, consumed an entire 11-foot birch sapling over the course of three days.  Yes, he ate a tree – leaves, branches, bark, and all (adding a little French dressing for flavor) – and filmed the whole deal to win $10,000. The ridiculous lengths some are willing to go for money are astonishing. But unlike the comical story of the boy who ate a tree and ended up with a tummy ache, the desire for and pursuit of riches is usually a bit more sinister and more hurtful to us and to those around us.

Money has a way of blinding us – not only to common sense (in the case of the story above), but also to right and wrong. And the pursuit of money often blinds us to the needs of those we hurt and trample along the way. When doing our taxes, when paying our workers, when giving our offerings, when tipping our servers, when spending more time in the office than with family, when spending more money at the mall than on the needy, we have to ask ourselves if our sense of right and wrong has gotten a little bit hazy in our pursuit of and consumption of wealth. Pastor and author Tim Keller explains that, “Money is different from other things. Materialism and greed is a sin of the eye. It blinds you…” This is part of why Paul says that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). When we are blinded and can’t see, we are bound to stumble and sin in many ways. The men in our passage today were willing to leave a girl harassed by a demon in order to make a profit. They were blind to her needs, blind to God’s work in her healing, and blind to right and wrong in the situation. Instead of rejoicing at her healing, they demanded the blood of her healers and were blind to the injustice in that.

What about us? How far are we willing to go for money? What are the ways the love of money and pursuit of riches blinds us to the needs of others and hinders us from participating in God’s work around us? May God open our eyes!

Prayer: Lord, open my eyes! Search my heart and reveal to me any ways that my love of money and pursuit of riches has led me astray. All that I have is from You; help me to acquire it and spend it in ways that honor You, advance Your Kingdom, and bless others.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 28-29

 

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 16:13-15

From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day we went on to Neapolis. 12 From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

What Paul experienced by the riverside was an unexpected encounter that led to the first conversion in Philippi.   While my recent experience wasn’t quite that dramatic, it, nonetheless, shows what we ought to expect from the Lord in our everyday lives.

I recently got a part-time job at a retail store to help cover some of my expenses. While working earlier this week I encountered a woman who came into the store after having a terrible fall outside. We took her into the back to use our first aid kit (she was pretty banged up) and sit down for a rest and some water. After a few minutes, my manager sent me back to work, but my heart was heavy and burdened, so I prayed for her for the rest of my shift.

Feeling helpless (because I was at work) I told God – if you want me to do more, open the door. On my way to my car after work, I saw her in the parking lot. I was terrified – I knew this was a divine appointment and that I needed to go speak to her. I walked over, asked how she was doing, and let her know I was praying for her. She explained that she was taking some new medications and her body was not responding well. She was so thankful for the kindness we’d shown her and for the prayers I prayed for her. And that was pretty much it. We parted ways. I didn’t pray with her. I didn’t tell her about the ultimate Healer. I didn’t stop and ask God what He was up to in that moment – I think because I was unsure and afraid (and unexpectedly so!).

While I believe God is in control and will care for that woman apart from me if for some reason I didn’t fully do what He had in mind (and I’m hoping He’ll send her my way again), the experience itself challenged me to remember that no matter what we expect when we go and do this or that (I thought I was just going into work to make a little money), God is always at work in blessing and healing the world through us. I want to be like Paul, ready – fearless and willing – to partner with God in whatever way He grants me the opportunity. How about you?

Prayer: Sovereign Lord, You are always at work in the world around us. As Your hands and feet in this world, may I be ready and willing to partner with You whenever You present me with the opportunity to do so. Give me divine appointments today to be a blessing (in great and small ways) to those around me. Make me sensitive to the movements of Your Spirit and fearless to move and speak according to Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 27

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 28:16-20: Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Questions to Consider:

1. Other than the fact that it happened this way, why might it be significant that Jesus gave His commission to “the eleven disciples”? How should this encourage us today?
2. The Greek in verse 19 lends itself to also be translated as “When you go make disciples…” or “As you go, make disciples…” How does that add to your understanding of Christ’s call on our lives?
3. How does Jesus’ promise in verse 20 encourage you as you think about the task of being on mission for Him in your daily life?

Notes:

1. Jesus gave the commission to an imperfect group. Twelve was a significant number in the Old Testament and in Jewish culture. Eleven was a striking number of imperfection and incompletion (something was lacking, broken, missing). I find it encouraging that Jesus commissioned an imperfect Church and that He still believes we can do the work He’s called us to do even with our shortcomings.
2. While we are called to “Go!” to the ends of the earth, to those who have not heard and share the Gospel around the world, we are also called, in all that we do and everywhere we are, to be on mission for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. It’s easy to “be on” when we are on mission, at Church, or in similar spaces. But everyday, we are on mission for God because He is at work all around us.
3. The idea of constantly being on mission for God can feel daunting. My story this morning shows how easy it is to potentially fall short and how uncertain we can feel about what we are supposed to do in any given situation. But Jesus is with us and God’s Spirit within us will lead us. That’s a promise in which we can take comfort. All we have to do is depend on Him.

Evening Reflection

What are some ways that you’ve experienced divine appointments to be a blessing (or to be blessed by someone else) in your life? What are some things that could hinder you from participating in God’s work in the world around you on a daily basis (e.g. being too busy, being afraid, not being mindful of the things of God when you’re at work or at school, etc.)? Spend some time offering yourself the Lord and ask Him to use you to be a blessing and tell others about Him. Pray for divine appointments. When we ask of the Lord, He will answer, so be on the look out for opportunities to be a blessing and share the truth of God throughout this week!

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 15:36 – 16:10

³⁶ Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” ³⁷ Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, ³⁸ but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. ³⁹ They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ⁴⁰ but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. ² The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. ³ Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. ⁵ So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸ So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ⁹ During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Every Christian I’ve ever met wants to know God’s will for their life. One of the things I love about the book of Acts is its practical depiction of how God moves and leads His people through real-life stories from the early Church.

So, how does God lead us into His will for our lives? Well, from our passages today we see that sometimes it’s through our desires – Paul and Barnabas wanted to go back to check on their friends and see how things were going. Other times it’s through conflict and disagreements – because Paul and Barnabas failed to see eye to eye regarding Mark, they headed to different places, doing work for the Kingdom in different ways (and along the way, Paul picked up Timothy – a partnership with great impact for the Kingdom). God also moves through our failures and mistakes – some might argue that Mark’s desertion of the group in Pamphylia was a failure, but in it God still moved and lead him (in partnering him with Barnabas to do Kingdom work in Cyprus). God also leads through the opening and closing of doors (through granted and denied opportunities) – Paul and his companions faced closed doors in their efforts to preach the gospel in certain regions and were lead instead to do ministry in other places where doors were open.

In all of these things, God was at work in His people to lead them into His will for their lives (the specific ways they were individually called to be a blessing), and the Church as a whole into His will for the world (His redemption plan for all creation). Although we’d love to receive a vision as Paul did, telling us specifically what to do and where to go at any given time, more often than not, God is at work in the everyday moments to draw us closer to Himself and lead us into His will for our lives. May we have the perspective of Luke, who understood that in all these things, it’s the Holy Spirit who is at work, leading and guiding us every step of the way.

Prayer: Sovereign Lord, Your word says that my steps are ordered by You (Ps. 37:23). May I take comfort and rejoice in knowing that in each step I take, Your Spirit is at work to lead me into the fullness of the abundant life You’ve promised and into the good works You prepared in advance so that I may do them. Help me to see my life in light of these truths. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 26

Lunch Break Study

Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Questions to Consider:

1. How does Paul describe worship in these verses? How does this align with the way you typically think about worship?
2. What is Paul’s prescription for discerning the will of God?
3. What might it look like in your life to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”? What practical steps can you take toward that end?

Notes:

1. Paul describes worship as offering one’s whole life to God. The Israelites worshipped in the Old Testament by offering sacrifices to the Lord to atone for their sins, with Jesus being the final, once-and-for-all sacrifice for all sin. Now our worship is no longer an offering of atonement (where death is required to be reconciled to God) but an offering of praise – with our whole selves, in response to the great mercy God has shown us in Christ, we are now freed to live for God to whom we’ve been reconciled. That is our worship.
2. Through testing we approve the will of God. My dad used to call this the “try and see” method – as we follow the Lord, as we put His words into practice, we come to see and experience the fullness of God’s will – not only in doing the things He’s planned for us to do, but in becoming the people He’s created us to be.
3. Our hearts and minds are shaped by the sin and brokenness within us and around us. However, as we turn to God and begin to follow Him, we find ourselves throwing off the things of the world, and taking up the things of God. Our way of seeing, doing, being is transformed. As we seek God in prayer, in the Word, and in community in each phase of our life, the Holy Spirit does this great work of transformation in us.

Evening Reflection

“Your call will become clear as your mind is transformed by the reading of Scripture and the internal work of God’s Spirit. The Lord never hides His will from us. In time, as you obey the call first to follow, your destiny will unfold before you. The difficulty will lie in keeping other concerns from diverting your attention.” (Charles R. Swindoll)

How has God led you thus far in your life? Spend some time thanking the Lord as you remember the moments where (now looking back) you see Him at work, leading You into His will for your life? Are there any areas where you are still waiting on God’s guidance and direction, moments where you wonder what He was up to or if He was even there at all? Spend some time offering those things to the Lord – declaring your trust in Him even as you await the revelation of His goodness and His plans. Are there things that distract you from seeing God at work in your life and surrendering to His guidance and His will for you? Spend some time surrendering those things to the Lord, asking Him for a true heart of worship.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 15:10-11

 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

If I asked you what’s the hardest part about following Jesus, what would you say? (Go ahead, think about it.) Some would say the goal of Christ-likeness. Becoming like Jesus is a pretty lofty ambition – He is perfect after all. Others might say all the commandments to follow – it can often feel like a never-ending list of dos and don’ts. There is also the matter of constant repentance – constantly searching and evaluating the heart, being so aware of our brokenness can be taxing and exhausting. And what about endurance, especially in times of difficulty or suffering? No matter what comes our way, we are to keep on following Jesus – easier said than done!

The longer I do ministry in the Church the more I am convinced that one of the hardest parts of following Christ for most Christians is actually the simple act of receiving grace. We suffer from the “grace and…” syndrome. We know in our heads that we are fully loved and wholly accepted by God, not based on what we did, but on what Christ has done and that it’s by our faith in Christ’s work alone that we are righteous before God. We know this, in theory, but our lives often adhere to a different truth. We speak about grace, but live as though what we do is of most importance. Our perfect choices, our perfect church attendance, our perfect QT record for the week, our perfect kids, etc. make us feel closer to God and when those things go away, when we fall short, we feel far, withdraw, struggle to turn to Him.

Scripture teaches us that grace is unmerited favor from God – a gift of kindness and love that we don’t deserve. And it’s not our good works that earns us access to that gift, but the very gift itself that enables us to do good works. I know we know this – but do we really believe it? In our thoughts and judgments about ourselves and others, do we humbly accept God’s grace or do we, like the Pharisees, put our weight on our own efforts and works?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me the humility to accept Your grace to me today. Not that I was good, but that Christ was. Not that I am perfect, but that Christ is perfect. May that be enough. In the areas where I am struggling with sin, in the face of my present shortcomings, give me the humility to turn to You and receive the grace I need to become more like Jesus. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 25

Lunch Break Study

Ephesians 2:1-10

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

Questions to Consider:

1. Why is it important to remember that we were made alive in Christ “even when we were dead in transgressions”? How does remembering God’s love as described in these verses encourage us to persist in our walk with Him?
2. According to verse 9, what is the danger of focusing too much on our works in our relationship with God?
3. Restate verse 10 in your own words as a promise from God to you. How does this assurance that good works will come encourage you?

Notes:

1. We can never be mistaken that we have to earn God’s love or God’s favor by doing good deeds or being the right kind of people when we remember that God demonstrated His great love for us when we were at our worst. We should feel encouraged to move on, not by works (which didn’t save us to begin with), but in the power of grace (know that we are fully loved and completely accepted and given the freedom from guilt, shame, and the like needed to resist sin and live well).
2. Focusing too much on our works can lead to boasting, and ultimately, to pride. All the good that we do is a result of God’s grace and God’s work on our behalf (through Christ) and in/through us (by the power of the Holy Spirit).
3. You will do good works (great things in this world and for my Kingdom) because I myself have created you in my son Jesus. As we surrender our lives to the hands of the master potter, he works it into a beautiful piece of art. In the face of our shortcomings and even, at times, ignorance to the ways of God, we know our loving Heavenly Father is at work to lead us to a destination that He’s already prepared.

Evening Reflection

“The bridge of grace will bear your weight, brother. Thousands of big sinners have gone across that bridge, yea, tens of thousands have gone over it. Some have been the chief of sinners and some have come at the very last of their days but the arch has never yielded beneath their weight. I will go with them trusting to the same support. It will bear me over as it has for them.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Is hard for you to receive God’s grace? Do you tend to put more emphasis on what you do or what He has done? Does Christ’s love compel you and God’s grace encourage you toward good deeds, or do you tend to use good works to try to earn favor with God? Spend some time remembering how God found you, when you were dead in your transgressions, and be reminded of His great love and abounding grace.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 15:6-9

The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 

Author and apologist Ravi Zacharias talks often about the human quest for unity in the face of so many differences. The very term university, he says, derives from the search to find unity within diversity (according to the word’s etymological origins). For generations we’ve wondered how we can be united with those different from us – is that kind of unity even possible? Whether it’s ethnic lines, gender lines, age difference, personality types, experiences, the list goes on, we find ourselves miles away from the people around us, especially in the West and in our present age where travel and communication are almost instant. We can be so close, and yet feel worlds apart from one another.

So how do we go about forging these relationships across our many lines of difference? How do we actually experience unity in the face of diversity? Historically, we’ve connected ourselves based on similarities. The dominant group usually sets the tone that others simply follow or mimic – this is called assimilation. The other groups simply become like the dominant group and, therefore, connections can be made based on similarities. When the Gentiles became Christians, the people of God faced a cultural clash never before experienced within their faith community. Prior to this they all shared not only their faith, but their culture (for the most part) with similar moral values and ways of doing life. So how were the Gentiles to be brought in? By becoming culturally Jewish? The Pharisees certainly thought so.

Our passage for today teaches us that God brings about a different kind of unity. The body of Christ is not united by doing the same things, or by being the same kind of people, or even by having the same backgrounds and histories. Instead, Christ’s body is united by housing the same Spirit. It’s God’s Spirit that makes us one, even in the midst of such diverse cultural (and otherwise) backgrounds. This is an amazing concept! As we place our faith in Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves connected to people we’d never have imagined. And thus we begin to experience the beauty of the tapestry that is the Kingdom of God.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Holy Spirit which not only unites me with You but with my brothers and sister in Christ. Help me to see beyond my own context and to embrace those different from me who You’ve also called into your family. May I experience today the beauty of the unity with those different from me that comes only through a shared Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 24

Lunch Break Study

1 Corinthians 12:12-20, 27

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  

Questions to Consider:

1. What does Paul say unites all believers?
2. How does the analogy of a body with many parts help you to appreciate the unity in diversity of the Kingdom of God? Why is it important for all our many differences to be at work together?
3. How do Paul’s words challenge you to see your brothers and sisters in Christ who may be different from you in various ways?

Notes:

1. All believers are united by the Holy Spirit having been baptized into one body by one Spirit.
2. The body needs all kinds of parts to function as a whole. The various functions of our different organs working together to keep the whole body alive and functioning paints a beautiful picture of the various people in the family of God at work together in their differences to build the Kingdom of God. Oftentimes, our very differences are what enable us to make valuable contributions to the whole. If everyone were exactly the same (if we were all an eye, for example), we would not have a body (just an eye).
3. Spend time in personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

In a service at a local divinity school that I attended recently, I was challenged to think of the things that made me different as an appointment, rather than an accident. What I took from the speaker’s words was that I have a choice – instead of forgetting about who I am based on my experiences in the world (both good and bad) in order to blend in, I can offer those to God and see how He might use them to be a blessing. Forgetting, ignoring, or hiding our differences is not what unites us; it’s the Holy Spirit at work in the midst of those differences that brings true unity. How are you different from those around you? What are your unique giftings, experiences, identity, perspectives, etc. that God can use to bless others? Spend some time reflecting on these things with the Lord.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from April 4-10 are provided by Cami King.  Cami, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, is about to complete her M.Div. at Gordon Conwell Seminary.  She is currently serving as a staff at Journey Community Church in Raleigh. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 15:1-4

Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. ³ The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. ⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

I don’t know many people who like conflict. It’s uncomfortable, messy, and can escalate to become down right hurtful. No one likes to be wrong. And in the Christian community, we often don’t feel comfortable telling others when we think they are wrong – it just doesn’t feel like the good Christian thing to do. While it may feel much better to be in agreement with others, conflict isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Paul and Barnabas found themselves in disagreement with a group of Jewish believers on the matter of Gentile inclusion into the family of God. How were these Gentiles to conduct themselves as believers? What would it look like for God to incorporate those outside of the Jewish ethnic identity – two things that had always been so closely linked? These were actually really important questions and the dispute that arose over this matter was indeed a healthy dispute – it pushed the church to seek God’s will in this area, to grow in their understanding of what His kingdom looks like, and it gave opportunity for Paul and Barnabas to share of God’s work in the Gentile community and encourage believers through their testimony.

In their book, Thriving Through Ministry Conflict, James Osterhaus, Joseph Jurkowski, and Todd Hahn explain that, contrary to popular belief, “’Resistance is your ally.’ It’s your ally, not your enemy, because it shows you that what you are doing is not working.” In other words, we stand to learn a lot from conflict. When we encounter resistance in the family of God, we tend to fight it or ignore it. But with humble and open hearts we can also choose to embrace it and find out what God is teaching us through the conflict and how God is moving us together as a people in that particular area.

If you find yourself in situations of disagreement and dispute (especially within the community of faith), embrace it as an opportunity to learn from God. As the Holy Spirit works within you and within your brothers and sisters around you, the body of Christ can get closer to the heart of God, even as we disagree.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give me an open heart to the views of others and humility as I hold my own. In situations of disagreement and conflict, may I learn from those around me through the power of Your Holy Spirit and draw closer to them and to You even in the tension. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 23

Lunch Break Study

Read James 4:1-10: What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Questions to Consider:

1. What does James say is the source of our fights and quarrels? Remembering past or present situations, how do you find James’ words to be true in your lived experience?
2. What does James tell us to do in response to our self-centeredness, greed, and pride in the midst of arguments?
3. What is the promise that James gives to those who will put his words into practice? How does that encourage you as you face situations of conflict?

Notes:

1. James locates the source of disputes in one simple word – pride. Many have said that what we argue about and the things that make us angry tell us more about what’s going on inside us than what’s going on around us. Self-centeredness often leads to arguing when we face situations of conflict.
2. James calls us to turn our attention away from ourselves and toward our God. Instead of fighting for the things we need, we can trust in the provision of our heavenly Father in any given situation. When we take our eyes off ourselves and place God at the center, we often gain new perspective that defuses the emotional charge in situation of disagreement that can lead to fights and arguments. We make this turn through repentance.
3. James promises that God will take care of us. As we turn to Him and draw near to Him, He will meet us there and not only provide for our needs, but will give us grace (or favor). We can take comfort in knowing that as we humble ourselves (declare our need before God), the Lord doesn’t leave us low, but instead He exalts us.

Evening Reflection

In Thriving Through Ministry Conflict, the authors explain that, “…technical change—change on the surface—is not lasting change. Real, lasting change is called adaptive change, change that alters the very structure of the relationship or environment and touches on the deepest of issues such as values.” Situations of conflict provide opportunities for us to change and grow to be more like Jesus. What kind of change is God calling you to today in light of situations of conflict you’re facing? More than just behavior adjustments, is God challenging the nature of a relationship, value system, etc. in your life? Spend sometime reflecting on these things with the Lord.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from March 31-April 6 are written by David Son, who serves as the college pastor at Symphony Church in Boston.  David, a graduate of UC Berkeley (B.S.) and Gordon-Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), was recently married to Grace.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 14:19-22

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

A pastor was aboard a plane on an international flight on his way to speak at a mission’s conference. Seated next to him was a woman with whom he quickly made acquaintance. During the flight, the plane underwent an intense bout of turbulence, and the pastor could see out of the corner of his eye that every time the plane shook, the woman tensed up. As the turbulence got worse, the woman began to break out in cold sweat as she exhaled anxious groans. Noticing her increasing distress, the pastor turned to her and said, “Don’t worry, we will not die today!” “How can you be sure?” she replied in a shaky voice. With a small grin the pastor responded, “Because I’m on the plane.”

While the above may have been a humorous statement primarily intended to loosen nerves, there is some truth to that notion. God has a purpose for each of us that nothing, not even death, can deter. In our passage today, Paul should have died. When a crowd gathers around you, hurls stones at you, and then drags you outside the city, you’re supposed to be dead. In fact, the crowds thought Paul was dead! Yet when the disciples came, “he rose up and entered the city!” Then the next day, he continued on to preach the gospel and made many disciples. Subsequently, he RETURNS to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. This is either the behavior of a madman—or a man on a mission.

Once in a while, especially during stressful times, I think to myself, I wish I could just be in heaven now. What I’m really saying is, I’m tired of the mundane, burdensome, seemingly meaningless stuff that I’m doing. Perhaps you’ve said this or thought this to yourself at times. But the truth is, if God didn’t have a plan to use you here on this earth, you’d already be in heaven! As heaven-bound Christians, what purpose would there be to remain on this earth, other than to be used by God in some way while we’re here? Whether you’re in an exciting season of your life, or in a mundane one, or a downright stressful one, take some time today to remind yourself of this truth: God still wants to do something through you here on this earth. The fact that you still have breath in your lungs is the proof of it!

Prayer

Lord, I am Your vessel. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and awaken a kingdom-minded vision within me. Help me to see my actions as they fit into Your purposes. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 22

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT Devotionals from March 31-April 6 are written by David Son, who serves as the college pastor at Symphony Church in Boston.  David, a graduate of UC Berkeley (B.S.) and Gordon-Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), was recently married to Grace.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 14:16-17

In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.

There is always a witness.  Don Richardson and his family were missionaries to the Sawi tribe of what is now West Papua. The Sawi were known to be cannibalistic headhunters. Somehow, by the grace of God, the Richardsons were allowed to live amongst the Sawi, and immediately they took on the task of learning the complex Sawi language and immersing themselves in the Sawi worldview. As they did so they were confounded by the differences between the tribe’s moral values, and their own. In this culture, deception and trickery were seen as positive traits! When they shared the story of the crucifixion of Christ, Judas was applauded as the hero, while Jesus was the dupe to be laughed at. How do you share the gospel in a culture like this?

During these times, several neighboring villages were at war, including the one the Richardsons were living in. Constant fighting and killing made it nearly impossible for the Richardsons to stay with the Sawi. But by this time, the villagers had grown fond of their friends, and wanted them to stay. So, in an effort to create peace, one of the Sawi men literally ran to the enemy village, and presented his own son as a peace gift to the opposing chief. This child was given up as the payment to bring reconciliation between the two parties. For generations, this was how peace was established between villages. As he learned more about this “peace-child” practice, it dawned on him that God had left himself a witness in the Sawi tribe! Don gathered together the entire village and shared that Jesus was God’s only Son, the peace-child, given to us to reconcile us back to Himself! The tribe wept as they realized, for the first time, the incredible love of God, and many of them came to faith.

Sometimes we feel like there is no hope for (insert name here) to accept Christ. But God has left himself a witness, even in the unlikeliest of cultures, even in the unlikeliest of people. Let’s strive to grow in the faith that our God is working all around us, even in places where we are unaware of it.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for dying for me while I was still a sinner. Help me to extend this love and grace to those around me who have yet to know You. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 20-21