January 27, Wednesday

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for today are provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (Ph.D.) who is the AMI Teaching Pastor. He and Insil have been married for 28+ years and they have three children: Christy (teacher), Joshua (grad student) and Justin (college freshman). They live in Philadelphia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 2:22-3 (NASB)

[Apostle Peter’s sermon] Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with^]miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— ²³this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

27a Which animal you see in the picture depends on where your focus is: a gaze to the left will show a duck, to the right, a rabbit; but as whole, this image contains both a duck and a rabbit. I first saw this image in a book extolling postmodernism that, to ensure that Eurocentric thoughts no longer dominate the rest, has relativized all truth claims. This is why religious pluralism— belief that all religions lead to the same God—emerges as a child of postmodernism.

So, should we eschew seeing our reality, including the Bible, in terms of either/or? Again, it depends. Some matters are quite clear as to which position the Bible advocates. For instance, it doesn’t say “God exists” and “God doesn’t exist” at the same time. Whereas the writer of Hebrews says, “He exists” (11:6), the psalmist calls those who say, “There is no God,” a “fool” (Ps. 14:1). God’s existence, then, is a matter of either/or.

27b Now, in church history, one of the fiercest theological battles has been fought between the Calvinists and the Arminians. Regarding God’s election (that God predestines some to be saved), whereas the Calvinists posit that its basis is His deliberative plan (Eph. 1:11) that has nothing to do men’s merit, the Arminians say that the basis is God’s foreknowledge (1 Pet. 1:2). That is, God, “having foreseen men’s potential faith” chose “those who would turn to Him when they heard the gospel” (Hammond). But they do agree on one thing: this is a matter of either/or, and that both positions cannot be right at the same time. But Peter’s sermon suggests otherwise. Talking about those who played a critical part in crucifying Jesus, he says that it was done based on God’s “predetermined plan” as well as His “foreknowledge” of men’s future action.

Folks, accept that God’s sovereignty and human responsibility is always a matter of both/and—not either/or. God, having long worked out His plan, has revealed His general will to us in the Scripture; therefore, it is our responsibility to know it and then obey. So today, instead of torturing yourself to make sense of this theological mystery with some logic, read the Scripture and pray to discern what God is saying to you. Then just do it.

Prayer

Dear Lord, I magnify Your majestic Name. I worship You with all my heart and mind. Thanks for Your magnificent Word. Forgive me for having such a cavalier attitude and the arrogance with which I handle Your Word. May the Spirit continue to illuminate its deep truths throughout 2016. May I obey it. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 23

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:33^b: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.”

Matt. 19:34: “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.”

Matt. 23:23: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Question to Consider

What apparent problem emerges as a result of reading John 16:33 and Matt. 19:34?
What logic is found underneath what Jesus tells the Pharisees in Matt. 23:23?
So, should we choose between John 16:33 and Matt. 19:34? If not, then how can we reconcile these apparently contradicting verse?

Notes

The apparent problem is contradiction: Jesus seems to be talking from both sides of the mouth. He says He came to give peace, and then He says its exact opposite—not peace but a sword.
The logic found in Matt. 23:23 is both/and. Jesus tells the Pharisees to practice justice, mercy and faithfulness, something they had neglected for a long time. But they shouldn’t stop tithing, which they had been doing. (Practice this and not neglect that, not practice this or not neglect that.)
We should accept the propositions of both John 16:33 and Matt. 19:34. As for reconciling this, Jesus’ death on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins, broke the barrier standing between God and men. So, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). As for the sword, this happens when “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 5:6). This also occurs when our desire to obey God conflicts with the will of our loved ones (Mk. 3:33-4).

Evening Reflection

How was your day? The “both/and” paradigm is also very useful in reconciling relationship conflicts. When we just interpret the conflict according “my” perspective, it actually gets worse. Think of a relationship problem that you are experiencing presently. Meditate on 1 John 1:8 (“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us”) and ask the Lord to empower you to see the other person’s side as well. Then, reconcile with that person by making that call or writing to him/her.

January 26, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 2:16-21

“‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”

When my kids were little, I would remind them how it was going to ruin their vision whenever they would read in a moving vehicle. It worked for awhile—until my oldest son showed me a research that disapproved it. Similarly, some things told from the pulpit may just be urban theological legends. Before proceeding, remember this: in order for the teachings in Acts to be deemed as valid for today, they need to be confirmed by the Epistles that delineate doctrines and practices normative for the church.

First, contrary to the doomsday prophets to whom no war is too small as a prop for their message of, “The last days are finally upon us,” it has been the “last days” since the 1^st century when Peter applied Joel’s prophecy (800 BC) to what occurred at Pentecost. Later, the Hebrews writer confirmed this when he said, “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (1:2). So live each day alertly!

Second, contrary to cessationism that posits that “the ministry of prophet . . . gradually died out . . . and their place . . . was taken by the regular local ministry of pastor-teachers,” prophesy—speaking the words prompted by the Spirit—is still operative, as long as the Spirit is poured out on His people. Later, Paul confirmed this when he distinguished between prophets and teachers (1 Cor. 12:29) and added, “Eagerly desire . . . the gift of prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1).

Third, notice that the Spirit will be poured out on female servants who, as a result, will prophesy. Contrary to some (but not all) complementarians who forbid women to speak in the church (1 Cor. 14:34), women can prophesy—even in the church. Paul later confirmed this when he took it for granted that women would prophesy in the church while addressing a certain church matter (1 Cor. 14:5).

Folks, don’t just accept everything your favorite preacher tells you. Rather, be like the Bereans who “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts. 17:11). On the flip side, though no one was better equipped to teach the Bible than Paul, he was okay being scrutinized—then so should we! Just be fair and loving.

Prayer

Father, in awe of your Son Jesus, I praise and worship You this morning. Thank You for your eternal word written in my language so that I can always be blessed by it. Help me to be part of the effort to get the Bible translated so that those who still don’t have it in their own language, will soon have it. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 22

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 7:3, 5, 9-13: “(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. . . .) 5 So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?” . . . . 9 [Jesus]said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ 11 But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— 12 then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13 Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. . . .”

Question to Consider

In what ways are the erroneous teachings of the Pharisees similar to some teachings taught by, otherwise, good and sincere Christians today?
In light of what Jesus said to the Pharisees, what would Jesus say to the teachers of today?
What are some things that you used to believe sincerely but no longer (at least not that dogmatically) after discovering that they aren’t clearly spelled out in the Bible?

Notes

Inasmuch as “excessive ceremonial washing” and “corban” were not biblical, “equating prophesy with teaching” or seeing the last days as futuristic (instead having already come) are not biblical either. These are stuff made up by men with an ulterior motive or who lack biblical knowledge or love their theology too much. (Complementarianism, however, is a result of genuine interpretative differences.)
There may not be a single message that would fit everyone. To the doomsday prophets: “Stop stirring fear in people; stop fleecing them”; to some complementarians, “Several women have been featured in My Book: Judge Deborah; Priscilla who taught Apollos (Acts 18:26) and led a church along with her husband (1 Cor. 16:19); the following prophetesses: Huldah (1 Chron. 34:22), Mrs. Isaiah (Is. 8:3), Anna (Lk. 2:36) and four daughters of Phillip (Acts 21:9). So don’t be too shocked if I continue to use women in My work.”
Personally: rapture, some form of inner-healing (that is, not the way I used to), demons as the spirits of the deceased unbelievers (which my old pastor taught me), etc. We need to study the Bible on our own.

Evening Reflection

How often do you read the Bible? What my old pastor taught me was a mixture of much good and some bad. One good thing he taught me was reading the Bible every day (that’s how I found out that his teaching on the origin of demons was unbiblical). Did you read Genesis 22 yet? Read it now. Also, read Palm 118. Remember John 17:17:“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

January 25, Monday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 2:13-4

Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

1 Sam. 1:10-5

In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11 And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 12 As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14 and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.”

The word “formalism” conjures up images of liturgical church (e.g., Lutheran, Episcopalian); but it can also be found in emotion-filled Pentecostal churches. Once, as my wife and I were returning home from a Charismatic meeting where I spoke, she told me that someone had asked her whether she was a Christian. During the prayer time when everyone prayed out really loud, the sight of my wife praying quietly was a dead giveaway to this person that she wasn’t saved: that’s formalism, which is a strict adherence to some behavior arbitrarily selected as most pleasing to God and then judging those who fall short.

To those who saw the 120 praying out loud in tongues, they seemed drunk; Hanna seemed drunk to Eli because she wasn’t praying audibly. In both incidents, the accused had to defend themselves: Peter said, “It’s only nine in the morning”; Hannah said, “I have not been drinking wine or beer.” Were these good enough reasons to those who judged people based on some arbitrary criteria, supposedly more pleasing to God? It appeared to be so for the Pentecost crowd and Eli, but for the hardcore formalists, such as the Pharisees, they wouldn’t back down: it was either their way or the highway. After seeing Jesus heal a blind man, “some of the Pharisees,” who arbitrarily decided that that constituted work, said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath” (Jn. 9:16).

What the formalists refused to understand was this: “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). Sometimes we pray out loud; sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we raise our hands while worshiping; sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we cry; sometimes we laugh! But as long as we have the right heart, God doesn’t care.

A renowned Bible teacher told a story of being offended by a man sitting in the front pew who kept falling asleep while he was preaching. Later, the pastor learned that the man and his wife had driven from another city just to listen to him, but he suffered from a rare condition that made him suddenly fall asleep. Ouch! Folks, avoid formalism!

Prayer

Father in heaven, I praise You and honor You today. I thank You that I don’t need to shout to be heard, but at the same time, thank You for the freedom to shout and cry out, particularly when walls are caving in and I feel so desperate. Thank You for always being there for me—always. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 21

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 37:7^a: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him . . .

Heb. 5:7 (ESV): In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

1 Cor. 13:12-3: For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Question to Consider

In what way is the prayer of Psalm 37 different from the prayer of Jesus mentioned in Hebrews 5:7?
In what way is the emotion felt by Hannah and that of Jesus similar? What was ironic about how they prayed in response to how they felt?
Ultimately, what does formalism and judging people based on some arbitrary criteria tell about us?

Notes

The prayer of Psalm 37 is a quiet, meditative prayer; the prayer of Jesus, referred in Heb. 5:7, is just the opposite—very loud.
They both felt anguish in their hearts. Who can forget Jesus telling his disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matt. 26:38)? Hannah said, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled.” But they prayed quite differently: one cried out while the other hardly made any sound. Either way is okay.
It means two things: First, those who judge people based on formalism are acting like they see everything when, in truth, they see only parts; second, judging others out of an assumption that they have the clearest vision is really because they lack love.

Evening Reflection

Writing out a prayer can be a helpful aid if you don’t know what to say to God once you close your eyes. I used to carry a prayer list to remind myself to pray for certain people on specific days of the week. Now, I just memorize them as I add more people to it. How is your prayer life? Do you have one? Whether you prefer to pray quietly or to cry out, just pray, but do prepare yourself beforehand. Perhaps reading a Psalm may help or making a list. You need to pray.

January 24, Sunday

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals for January 23-4 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

John 6:8-9,11

“Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ’Here is a boy with five small barley loves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’ … Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”

I am sure all of us have been delivered from trouble unexpectedly before. Maybe you forget your calculator for an exam but someone shows up with an extra one. Or maybe you are running late to the train station and a friend happens to drive by and gets you there speedily. Just as glad as you are that someone saved, it’s likely that the other person is even happier to have been in the right place at the right time.

This boy here probably felt his good fortune. He just so happened to plan on listening to Jesus that day, he just so happened to be able to procure a little food beforehand, and he happened to be close enough to the disciples to show and give them the food, which was the fuel for a miracle before his eyes.

When similar things happen to us, we often think of those events as happy coincidence. But the truth is that God, the director of our lives, has deliberately put us in places and situations to be used. What seems to miraculously come into place is actually the result of His exact and perfect planning. We are, by His will, always exactly where He wants us to be.

Do you really believe that you are exactly where He wants you to be? Do you sense purpose in the gifts you have received, the friendships He has given you, or even the path you walk from building to building each day? Or are you completely unaware that He might have a role for you to play in blessing others?

God has planned all things carefully for His purposes; there are no accidents for where we are and what we will do. Let’s ask Him to help us see past the monotony of our schedules and to become more aware of His plans. Let us ask Him to show us the individual roles He has for us so that we can approach the coming week with clarity and renewed purpose.

Prayer: Father, thank You for ordaining all of my steps and my path. Even if I do not know where I am headed and what Your plans are for me, I trust that they are good. Help me to be sensitive to Your spirit and see the work that You are doing. Give me a heart that is available so that, on Your cue, I can be used by You whenever, wherever.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 20

January 23, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

John 6:8-9, 11

During summer vacations, my gang of cousins and I would compete in earning money. We received pennies from our aunts for different chores— folding laundry, sweeping the floors, etc. When any one of us thought he or she had collected a sufficient amount, we would announce that we could treat the entire family to a pizza feast. One of my aunts would then take that cousin to the store: the cousin would pay with that hard-earned money, and our aunt would ‘fill in a little bit’ on the spot.

Looking back now, it seems unlikely that we earned much out of pennies. If we had been fixated on how little we were making, we might actually have been too discouraged to dream of providing dinner. Instead, our aunts probably footed the bill and let us experience the joy of being a breadwinner.

The boy in the narrative may have had a better awareness of how far his contribution would go—what could a couple loaves and fish do for a hungry crowd of thousands? No matter the context or situation, that kind of doubt is universal and appears whenever we have an inkling to serve. We, too, will never seem to have sufficient pennies or loaves.

Do not let your poverty be a reason to withdraw from serving, because the amount we bring cannot hinder God from His work. He, who created the known world out of nothing, is fully able to multiply anything we bring and desires for us to share in the joy of seeing His work accomplished. As He multiplied back then, He also does today. He can maximize and exceed your expectations for your time, resources, energy, and love.

Is there a task that you feel unequipped or unprepared for? Let us approach God humbly, realizing that our all-powerful, all-sufficient God truly desires for us to labor alongside Him. And let us approach Him boldly and expectantly, knowing that when we hand to Him what little we have, He will give us a front row seat to His power and His provision.

Prayer: Father, You are powerful and able, and I am weak and needy. Even though You do not need my contribution, thank You for Your grace that lets me work alongside You. Give me the faith and boldness to approach You when I bring so little to the table, and let me sing victoriously of how You provide in every situation.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 18-19

January 22, Friday

Editor’s Note: The AMI QT devotionals from Jan. 18-22 are provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (Ph.D.) who is the AMI Teaching Pastor. He and Insil have been married for 28+ years and they have three children: Christy (teacher), Joshua (grad student) and Justin (college freshman). They live in Philadelphia.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 2:7-12

Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Genesis 11:7-9

Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

⁸So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. ⁹That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Whenever the late evangelist Chun Suk Lee, a physically imposing man, spoke, people listened; I certainly did in 1982 when he said to me, “God gave you the gift of language.” I had no clue as to what he meant.

We love Acts 2 because the 120 people “were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues” (v. 4). But what we often ignore is connecting this event with the entirety of what Jesus said ten days earlier. Of course, it’s easy to see why we become enamored with the first part of Acts 1:8: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.” But some quickly associate this power with the ability to claim health and wealth from God. Had they read the rest, they would’ve realized that the power was given so that we can testify of Christ “to the ends of the earth” (i.e., all nations).

Nations or tribes (etnos) were birthed on the day when God confused the language of men. What was a common speech up to that point, which unified men in defiance against God (the Tower of Babel), became so diverse that men, now unable to understand each other, “scattered over all the earth.”

However, at Pentecost, God, after gathering all nations (symbolically) scattered in confusion, began implementing the long awaited program of making them one again, not through a common speech but through the Holy Spirit, as Paul says, “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks” (1 Cor. 12:13). Understanding and wonder replaced confusion and bewilderment as if God were saying, “I’ll redeem the nations that bear my curse.”

While I was becoming fluent in Spanish in Mexico where I served as a missionary, I wondered whether this was what Evangelist Lee meant. Perhaps. But the language that we need to gain fluency is the gospel that bears witness of Christ who was “slain, and with [his] blood . . . purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9), so that they may be one worshiping body before God (7:9). That is why we do missions. Now, let’s get busy!

Prayer

Lord, You are the God of redemption, and for that I am infinitely grateful. Like useless and rusty junk, we could’ve easily been discarded for our sins, but You saw fit to send your Son to take our place to redeem us. Now that I realize that You want to redeem the nations, may I become a mission-minded Christian. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Jonah 4:5-11

Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”

9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?” “It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.” 10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Question to Consider

In what sense does this dialogue between God and Jonah reveal God’s heart? Keep in mind that these Ninevites (i.e., Assyrians) were cruel and ruthless people.
What did God want to show Jonah through the object lesson of a leafy plant that died over night?
There is no question that AMI takes missions seriously. In light of the morning QT and the Jonah narrative, what should be our motive for doing missions?

Notes

Jonah hated these Ninevites for what they had done against Israel—and they no doubt deserved it. However, here we see an amazing concern God has for these pagan Gentiles: “Should I not have concern for . . . more than a 120,000 people” who are spiritually blind? Those who say that God championed only the Jews in the Old Testament obviously have never read Jonah.
God pointed out three things about Jonah: first, he cared more for silly plants than people; two, he cared more for his own comfort than eternal damnation that the Ninevites were about to suffer; third, God was using Jonah in spite of his immaturity and selfishness, not because of his greatness.
We do missions to redeem the nations. To accomplish this, we are to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19), i.e., people who don’t look like us. Our purpose for reaching to these nations is so that all nations are represented when the redeemed are gathered to worship God at the “wedding supper of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9; 19:9).

Evening Reflection

Before wrapping up this day, let’s pray for the missionaries. Of course, AMI has its own missionaries: Kate, Paul, Nate, John, Esther, Kelly, Billy, Sung, Christina and Eun Mi in E. Asia. Also, don’t forget our interns sent from respective AMI churches. I am sure you know other, non-AMI missionaries. I do too and I pray for them regularly just as I pray for ours. Pray for open doors, wisdom, health and protection.

January 21, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 2:4-12

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

I wonder how Jerry Rankin, then-President of the International Mission Board, felt as the vote was being counted. In 2005, the board members of this Southern Baptist Convention organization voted on whether to accept anyone who speaks in tongues as its missionary candidates. The board overwhelmingly decided against it. Rankin, who had been speaking in tongues for 30 years, couldn’t have felt too comfortable.

I, too, have been speaking in tongues for a long time; in fact, I received that gift on the day I became a believer in 1981. Actually, I had stopped praying in the gift of tongues for a time while attending Talbot Seminary that taught that tongues disappeared in the 1^st century. But I resumed, after studying the Scripture and finding that it doesn’t say anything to that effect.

One vocal opponent against the gift of tongues is the renowned John MacArthur, a graduate of Talbot. As a mega-church pastor and seminary president, MacArthur has many arguments against tongues, one of which is, whereas the tongues spoken in Acts were real languages, the tongues spoken today aren’t.

MacArthur has stated, as agreed by many theologians, that “the only teaching in Acts that can be called normative (absolute) for the church are those that are doctrinally confirmed elsewhere in Scripture.” In other words, the Epistles by Paul or John should have the final word. If this is so, then shouldn’t MacArthur put more weight on the writings of Paul? In 1 Corinthians 14:2 Paul writes: “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God.” Whereas the onlookers in Jerusalem from the nations understood what was being spoken, no one understood the tongues spoken by the Corinthians because it wasn’t a real language; and that’s the tongues spoken by people like Rankin and me.

And I second Rankin who said that tongues as a private prayer language has been a tremendous help in his relationship with God. You may or may not speak in tongues, but ultimately, what matters is whether we have a consistent prayer life to sustain our intimacy with God. If not, start today.

Prayer

Lord, You are the God of redemption, and for that, I am infinitely grateful. Like useless and rusty junk, we could’ve easily been discarded for our sins, but You saw fit to send your Son to take our place to redeem us. Thank You that we can be close to You through prayer. Help me seek to You always. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 16

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 19:11-2: God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

Acts 5:3-5: Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Acts 5:15: As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.

Question to Consider

Solely based on these passages from Acts, what should be happening today?
Without necessarily saying that these things can never happen again, what justifies the view that these occurrences are not normative for the church today?
Ultimately, why is thinking in this manner (putting epistles ahead of Acts when theologizing) important?

Notes

The sick people should be healed by the shadows and handkerchiefs of some powerful, anointed people of God. Everyone who lies to God should be dying soon thereafter.
These things shouldn’t be normative experiences for the church today because none is taught or advocated in the Epistles, which are instructions for the church (1 Thess. 4:8; 2 Thess. 3:14).
Paul says to Pastor Timothy, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16). While not all doctrines are same in importance, some are more crucial to our salvation (i.e. salvation by faith, the deity and humanity of Christ, etc.). We must be careful and thoughtful when theologizing, doctrines being its outcome.

Evening Reflection

Close your eyes and think about any ongoing conflicts (small or large) with someone at work and at home. Review the way you have been arguing. Are you being principled or talking out of both sides of your mouth? Perhaps an apology is due. Perhaps you have been arguing for the sake of winning! Pray.

January 20, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 2:1-4^a

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit . . .

Ps. 130:5

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.

Surely, no likes to wait in line—especially for a long time. However, if we want something bad enough, we’re willing to put up with a sleepless night, shiver in the cold, and wait in order to get that thing—in my case (1980), it was to purchase a ticket to the Bruce Springsteen concert. But it was pure elation once I had the ticket in my pocket, even though it cost me a night’s sleep.

This day of Pentecost was awesome, for it was the first time in history that the Holy Spirit came into the human heart to take residence there (2 Cor. 1:22). And there were 120 people (Acts 1:14) who experienced this—yet, there should’ve been 380 people more. How?

Jesus ascended to heaven after he had “appeared to [people] over a period of forty days” (1:4), and the largest crowd to see Christ alive had to be the ones who had gathered at the Mt. of Olives (1:12) to witness His ascension. Paul seems to allude to this occasion in 1 Corinthians 15:6: “After that, [Christ] appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time.” And they all heard the same thing from Christ: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait. . . In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4, 5).

And immediately the war of attrition began: While everyone liked the notion of being baptized with the Spirit, not everyone was willing to wait for it. Those who would’ve waited had Jesus said that it would happen in an hour, didn’t, because they didn’t want it bad enough. No one knew that the wait would last ten days, but by the time the Holy Spirit came, as many as 380 witnesses of Christ’s resurrection had left the prayer meeting. Just imagine those who left hours before—ouch!

We say we want God but we aren’t willing to wait for His time. That means we’re either fibbing or didn’t prepare ourselves beforehand. Let’s make this practical: you say you want to really experience God this year, but are you determined to wait in prayer? Or do you desire to experience God at the next retreat or conference? Then, work around the clock beforehand to get all your work done so that you can go. And once you are there, you don’t have to think about anything else except God.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I exalt Your glorious name; I thank You for your unlimited patience. As I busily move about from one activity to the next, I often forget about You. Help me to wait patiently before You so that I can hear Your directives for my life. Help me not to miss out on all that You have for me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 14:16-20: Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.”

Ex. 34:14: Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Question to Consider

What are some common excuses we use to justify putting God on the back burner?
How would you summarize God’s response to that? What’s behind His reaction?
Without thinking too hard, what is one thing that you need to take care of right now so that you can focus on getting closer to God and take on some of His kingdom work?

Notes

In the parable, the two persons offered the same excuse: “I bought something for my business and now, I need to use them to make money.” Of course, they didn’t exactly say that, but instead, Jesus has them say something quite illogical for businessmen: Having bought the field and oxen, now they are about to go see them, presumably for the first time. Who does that? The point is that they preferred making money over God. The third guy preferred his spouse over God. Read 1 Cor. 7:3-5 for more insight into how to balance these matters properly.
Of course God isn’t happy when He is passed over for land, oxen and someone’s wife! God, being a jealous God, makes an anthropomorphic statement that shows who He really is. There is none equal to Him; and when we treat Him as if He is our second option, of course He isn’t happy with that.
Don’t over-think. It is something that has been gnawing at you for awhile; zero in on it; and take action.

Evening Reflection

Sitting still without turning on your gadget for 15 minutes is a stretch for some. That’s alarming. If we are that easily distracted, being still before God while meditating on His word for a meaningful duration appears almost impossible. Shut down your device right now and sit still for 5 minutes while meditating on Psalm 23:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

January 19, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Acts 1:20-6

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection. 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.’ 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.”

Brady What’s harder than replacing Tom Brady as the quarterback for New England Patriots? Try replacing the father of a teenager girl. That’s the predicament an old friend faced when he married a woman with a daughter in the middle school. Unfortunately, to the daughter he was never more than an unworthy replacement—it didn’t end well.

Matthias also faced a similar situation. While he wasn’t exactly replacing a “Brady,” the position itself was a big shoe to fill. Now, it wasn’t as if he was under qualified, since he at least met the requirement of being with the Lord and the original disciples “the whole time” and a witness to the resurrection. But Matthias might not have met the higher criteria: “The thing that marks an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles” (2 Cor. 12:12), which apostle Paul, who came later, met.

Now, once Matthias was chosen to replace Judas by virtue of what, to some, appeared to be pure luck (casting lots), he promptly disappeared into the annals of obscurity; he is never mentioned again after Acts 1. Meanwhile, imagine what Matthias had to endure as a replacement, in view of the fact that some people had the gall to question Paul’s apostleship; so much so that he declared, “I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘super-apostles” (2 Cor. 11:5, 12:11). They probably called Matthias the “lucky” apostle.

So, whatever happened to him? Sometimes no news can be good news; and since we hear neither good nor bad news about Matthias, here is hoping that there was no bad news to report because he stayed out of trouble, unlike Judas. As for the absence of good news, perhaps his ministry philosophy was founded on Matthew 6:1: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them.’” And then he might have clung to 1 Corinthians 4:5b: “Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” I hope Matthias was praised.

Meanwhile, let us cultivate a spirituality that does not seek attention from people. For instance, resist the urge to post your latest spiritual accomplishment on FB. How about keeping it just between you and Jesus.

Prayer

God, though I say You are the Chairman of the board of my life, I often seek to be noticed by men; I’m not even sure why I post what I post on my FB. Teach me to worship and serve You, my King, in secrecy. Teach me to cherish Your approval in Christ. May the Spirit fill me today for a fruitful labor. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Matt. 6:1-4: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Col. 1:3-4: We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—

1 Cor. 14:18: I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

Questions to Consider

It is the new norm to expose ourselves to the whole world to witness what we are doing, including our private time spent with God. In light of the Matthew passage, what should we watch out for?
Matthias, once chosen to be one of the twelve disciples, disappeared into obscurity as far as history is concerned. If you were Matthias, what would you have hoped as you breathed your last breath?
In what ways did Paul “expose” his private spiritual life with the public? When it is okay to do it? How are you doing with this? Please think before you post on the social media; don’t do it mindlessly.

Notes

We need to watch out for overexposing our spirituality and good deeds in the name of ministry or just wanting to “share.” As 1 Cor. 4:5 asserts, we need to check our motive before we publicly share what we do in private. It is something that we need to struggle with because we do need to share!
Matthias might have said: “I don’t care what people think of me; as long as God approves of my life and rewards me in heaven for what little I did in His name, I am okay with being obscure among men.”
Through these two verses, we find that Paul was praying for the Colossians and spoke in tongues more than anyone else. Here, Paul’s motive is more important than the act itself. In the case of the Colossians whom he had never met, his disclosure probably made his epistle more personable to them. With respect to the Corinthians who were abusing the practice of speaking in tongues, Paul was, in fact, saying, “Hey, I speak as a seasoned practitioner; stop abusing that gift!”

Evening Reflection

Everyday life is such that we say and do things without any rehearsal beforehand. Undoubtedly, the “raw” things we say and do as an unfiltered reaction to others show the core of our being. So, in looking back to today, what did you discover about yourself with respect to God? Do you care more about what men think of you than what God thinks? Do you love the praise from men more than from God? These are sobering questions—but necessary ones. Reflect. Make adjustments as you repent

January 18, Monday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

I Corinthians 1:27-9

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.

Ironically, the Civil Rights Movement, led by Baptist minister Martin Luther King, wasn’t the most popular movement then, even among African-Americans. That honor was shared by the militant Black Panther Party that launched violence against the white power structure, and the Nation of Islam that aimed, not for racial desegregation, but a complete separation from whites. Its leader Malcolm X even called King a “‘chump’ and other civil rights leaders ‘stooges’ of the white establishment.’”

Yet, it was the Civil Rights Movement that radically altered America (no King in the 1960s then no Obama in the 2000s), and every racial and ethnic minority should be grateful to those who sacrificially fought for racial equality. Now, it is easy to recognize why this movement was so successful and why it beat out its stiff competition.

Undoubtedly, King, a man of extraordinary faith and courage, attained his vision from God: “Free at last, free at last; thank God Almighty, we are free at last”—but he also had his demons. It is now a matter of public record that King wasn’t always faithful to his wife, and Boston University had considered (Time, Nov. 1990) but ultimately decided not to revoke King’s doctorate degree, despite finding that parts of his dissertation were plagiarized. Nevertheless, I agree with Time article’s conclusion: “Even though the revelation may tarnish King’s reputation, they hardly diminish his courageous and inspirational accomplishments in helping to achieve racial justice for millions of black American.”

But, would God agree with this? Yes, because He uses people in spite of them, not because of them, so that we place our faith on God, not men. Look no further than King David, erstwhile adulterer and murderer, for proof. And it was the sight of mostly God-fearing Civil Rights marchers (e.g., Rosa Parks) who responded to violence “like a sheep before her shearers . . . silent” (Is. 53:7) that moved the crusty hearts of white Americans.

Do you feel like God can neither love nor use you because you have been behaving badly? Don’t be ridiculous—but do repent! And remember a God who used King in spite of him can do the same for you, to bring about spiritual freedom to those who still do not know Christ.

Prayer

Father, You are the Creator of all ethnic and racial groups. Before You, everyone has fallen short of your glory. It was for us that You sent your Son to do what no human government can do: Forgive our sins and make us righteous before You. God, may what I do with my life align with Your heart for the nations. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Exodus 5:1: Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’”

John 8:32-6: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”33 [The Jews] answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Col. 3:10-1: . . . put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Question to Consider

Martin Luther King was inspired by Moses who boldly demanded freedom from Pharaoh. What kind of freedom was this?
While the freedom that Moses sought after was important and certainly was part of God’s will, Jesus expanded that freedom during his ministry to another, more important freedom. What was Christ offering?
So, ultimately, what should be the basis for what Rev. King desired: “A nation where people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”?

Notes

The freedom that Moses sought after was political and social freedom.
The freedom that Christ offered then and continue to offer today is spiritual freedom, that is, being liberated from Satan’s rule, thanks to Christ who destroyed “the devil’s work” (1 Jn. 3:8; Heb. 2:14-5).
The basis is the “Oneness in Christ” which ought to resolve all our racial and class differences since Christ’s atonement resolved our spiritual difference with God. If this truly is the case, then we should reject any racism and ethnocentricism.

Evening Reflection

Let’s spend this moment praying for a true racial reconciliation to occur in America. Pray for a revival to break out among the men in blue across the nation. Pray for the leaders of African-American community, that they may seek God’s wisdom and heart even as they cry out for justice and fairness.