REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on January 4, 2018, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is currently planting a church in Tokyo. Please pray for this work.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Good Enough”

Genesis 33:18–20 (ESV)

And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. [19] And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. [20] There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel. 

When I was a college student, grades were not very important to me.  My goal was to get the best grade possible for the least amount of work possible.  My academic philosophy could have been called “good enough.”  

At this time in his life, Jacob is a changed man.  He courageously repents and reconciles with Esau, he resists the temptation to follow Esau into Seir, and he even buys a plot of land in the promised, making an altar to his God.

But Jacob is not perfect yet.  He settles in Shechem, not Bethel.  When Jacob was fleeing from Esau, he vowed to build God a house in Bethel if God enabled him to return.  Perhaps because Bethel is a mere 20 miles from Shechem, Jacob decides he is close enough.

Now of course, God did not demand that Jacob make that vow, nor is God unnecessarily concerned with the letter of the law rather than the heart.  But there is a better reason than legalism for Jacob to keep his vow and go on to Bethel, just as there is a excellent reason for believers to rise above a half-hearted, “good enough” mentality of faith: love.

Good enough is fine for things that are peripheral or temporal – things like our salaries, reputations, or material comforts.  But “good enough” is deadly and beneath the dignity of a friendship, or a marriage, or a relationship with Jesus Christ.  While we may have little to give to the Lord, let us give Him the best that we have each day.

Prayer

Father, I am often tempted to believe that I serve You or love You enough.  Thank You that there is grace for sinners like me.  May this incredible grace and love spur me to give my whole heart to You.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 12

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Lunch Break Study

Read: 1 Samuel 15:2–3, 9, 13-15 (ESV):

Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. [3] Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” …

[9] But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction…

[13] And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” [14] And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” [15] Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

Question to Consider

• What was the clear commandment of the Lord?
• What did Saul do instead?
• How did Saul excuse his disobedience? 

Notes

• To devote every living thing of Amalek to destruction.
• Saul spared King Agag and best of the sheep and of the oxen.
• Saul tells Samuel that the animals were spared in order to sacrifice them to the Lord.  Saul spiritualizes his disobedience.

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Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  In what ways were you tempted to serve God half-heartedly?  Confess these things to the Lord and thank Him for His grace today.  Ask God for strength to honor him wholeheartedly tomorrow.

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 14, 2018, is provided by Mei Lan Thallman—now a friend of AMI—who had served at Grace Covenant Church UC (now Philadelphia) for a long time.   

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Habit of Inquiring”

1 Samuel 23:1-12

Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.” 2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?” 4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. 6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.” 8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.” 10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.” 12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.

Twenty-two years ago, when my boyfriend Kirt (now my husband) informed me that he was coming to visit me in Taiwan with the intention of marrying me, my immediate thought was to pray and to call my college professors Dr. Gray and Dr. Charalambakis.  They both knew me well through three plus years of college and also got to know Kirt when we began dating. Being the only Christian in my family then, I valued their counsel and blessing above my own mother’s approval and blessing, before I could move forward with the relationship. I didn’t fully trust myself with the decision, and I wanted confirmation on what I was hearing from God. Because of their genuine love for me and their solid witness of having an intimate relationship with Jesus and a Christ centered marriage, I knew I could trust them.  

God described King David in Acts 13:22 as a man after His own heart.  When our church was reading through 1 & 2 Samuel, one repeating phrase that caught my attention was: “David inquired the Lord” (1 Sam 23:2,4,12; 30:8; 2 Sam 2:1; 5:23). I believe David became a man after God’s own heart because through the years, he developed a spiritual discipline to depend on the Lord through prayer.  He took time to lay his concerns before God, seek His direction, wait for a clear answer, and then take action according to what he heard from God. His discipline formed a lifelong habit and became a foundational core of his character.

In our postmodern age, it’s so easy to follow after our own plans and expect God to stamp His blessings upon our plans by orchestrating events to line up according to our liking.  When things do not go as we expected, we easily turn against God in anger, disillusionment, and in extreme cases, abandon our faith all together.

May we be reminded once again that a man’s life is not his own (Jer. 10:23). The steps of a good man are directed by the Lord (Ps. 37:23).  In order for God to direct our steps, we must take the time to inquire Him through prayer. And we must remember that prayer is a two-way relationship: we don’t just tell God what we want and what we would like for Him to do for us. Take time to ask God what is on His heart for you for this particular situation, and to help you to see things through His perspective.  Wait to hear from Him and make necessary adjustments, or take proper actions to carry out His will.

Prayer:  Draw us near You, Lord, and tune our ears to hear Your voice, so we might walk accordingly. Let us taste and see the sweetness and goodness of Your very presence and wise counsel. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 11

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Lunch Break Study

Read Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

Questions to Consider

• What are some of the burdens or needs you are carrying?
• What makes trusting God so hard to do?
• Have you taken these burden before the Lord and ask for His help?

Notes

1. Jot them down and then take some time to meditate on God’s truth and promise.

2.  If we are really honest, it is fear—that God may take you to another direction. The only way to overcome that is to trust in His goodness, that He does what is always best for you.

3. Pray this: “Holy Spirit, would you please use this verse to cultivate in me the habit of turning all my concerns into prayer throughout the day?”

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Evening Reflection

Did you notice the difference it made by simply casting your cares upon Him and rest in His love and provision for you?  Take a moment to offer Him a simple prayer of gratitude for His constant love and care for you.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 15, 2018, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California. Pastor Ulysses is a graduate of New York University (BA) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God According to Richard Dawkins”

Jeremiah 3:11-14

And the Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever.13 Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. 14 Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” – Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion

No, seriously Richard, tell me what you really think about God!

God gets a really bad rap for His works in the Old Testament, and undeservedly so. Today let’s just focus on one of the characteristics in Dawkins’ laundry list of complaints: “unforgiving.” Is that really the case? In today’s passage, God was confronted with serious infidelity. His people, whom He created, and who willingly entered into covenant obedience to Him at Mount Sinai, have completely turned their backs on their commitment and forsaken Yahweh for any and every floozy god that struts his or her stuff. They “scattered [their] favors among foreigners under every green tree.” Those “foreigners” are foreign gods, and Israel has played the whore.

Marital infidelity is a serious offense that wreaks serious devastation—many marriages don’t recover. Now imagine if your spouse cheated on you with not just one person, but entered into illegitimate relationships with anyone and everyone—even veritable strangers! How would you feel about that? Even the most patient and forgiving among us may declare the marriage beyond repair. Yet here is the God of the Old Testament, calling out to His wayward wife to “return.” His only requirement is that she “acknowledge [her] guilt.” Does this sound like a “petty… unforgiving… vindictive” God to you? His forgiveness should blow us away. This is the same forgiving nature that we see thousands of years later upon the cross.

If there is anything holding you back from coming to God, don’t wait, but only “acknowledge your guilt,” and God is waiting to receive you. Even today He calls to you, “return”! There is nothing that cannot be forgiven, sins old and new, by the God of the Testaments, both Old and New.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I bring You my heart. I confess my shortcomings, my waywardness, my inner thoughts that align with the desires of my flesh—thoughts of vengeance, jealousy, pride and insecurity. I know that in Christ, I no longer stand condemned, but rather accepted on account of the cross. Thank You for a forgiveness that surpasses my wildest imagination—thank You for the cross. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 10

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Hebrews 10:11-14:And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Questions to Consider

1. If the sacrifices of the priests couldn’t take away sins, why were they offered?

2. What is the significance of Christ sitting down?

3.  How is it possible to be “perfected” yet still be in the process of “being sanctified”? What impact should this have on our daily living?

Notes

1. They were offered in faith that one day there would be a sacrifice that could truly take away sin, and there was— Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross.

2. The work of forgiveness is done! So stop trying to earn it!

3. This is the “already, not yet” nature of life in the church age. When God looks at us, He sees no sin on account of the cross. However, we still must deal with a sinful nature that must be put to death daily, hence our need for sanctification.

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Evening Reflection

Have you brought everything to God? Is there anything you feel ashamed, fearful, or simply shy about acknowledging before Him? Take your relationship to a new level of intimacy, and share the depths of your heart with God.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on January 15, 2018.  Cami served faithfully as a staff member at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“The Danger Of Favoritism” 

Genesis 37:1-4

Now Jacob lived in the land where his father had sojourned, in the land of Canaan. 2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob.  Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms.

Let’s get to know one another for a moment!  What is your favorite color? (Mine is black. Weird, I know.) What is your favorite food? (Mine is steak—medium rare please and thank you!) What is your favorite drink? (Mine is hot tea—I’m really loving all tings oolong these days.) Who is your favorite singer? (Ugh— too tough to choose. I’d have to say a tie between Donny Hathaway, Nina Simone, and Sam Cooke). We all have favorites—things that bring us the most joy, things attached to precious memories from our past, things that speak to us in a special way. 

As far as I can tell, most favoritism is fairly innocuous: some things and some people speak to our personality, interests, and experiences in a deeper way than others—and can even be good. Our experiences with God can connect us more deeply to specific people, places, and things (I had a favorite chair because it was where I met with God consistently for years and years). Yet some favoritism can be much more problematic and even toxic. This kind of favoritism can become an avenue for sin and dissension. And that brings us to today’s passage. 

Today, we meet Joseph. And the first thing the Bible writer wants us to know about him—other than how young he is— is that he is his father Jacob’s favorite child. If you’ve been journeying with us through Genesis, you’ll remember that Jacob is no stranger to favoritism. He favored one wife over the other (a sentence that makes me queasy as a modern woman), and his parents had favorites between him and his brother Esau—all of which had devastating consequences for the people involved. 

While we are all allowed to have favorites, we learn from this family to be careful not to allow favoritism to lead us to sinful partiality, because that harms everyone (both favored and unflavored alike). And if we’re not careful, this kind of partiality can lead us to unintentionally overlook those whom God has entrusted to us and to miss opportunities to be a blessing to them. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, make me aware of any blind spots I have in the area of favoritism. Thank You so much for all the special people and things You’ve given me. Thank You for all my favorites things. Help me to not allow those blessings to become a curse to others in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 9

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Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 2:1-11: Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.  6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

Questions to Consider

• According to the passage, why is it dangerous for us to pass judgment on others? 
• What is the purpose of God’s kindness? How is God’s grace and mercy towards us connected to His judgment? 
• What does Paul mean when He says “God shows no partiality”? How is this a comfort to us? 
• Are there any people in your life you’ve been judging lately? Re-read the passage above and spend some time in repentance. 

Notes

• Because we are not impartial, and therefore, we are not qualified to judge. We do the same things as those we judge. Also, when we judge others, we take our eyes off of ourselves and our own shortcomings. We lose sight of God who is the Righteous Judge who will not only judge those who we are judging but will more importantly judge us! 
• God’s kindness is given so that we may repent. God’s forbearance with us is a means of grace so that we have the opportunity to see the errors of our ways and the greatness of God’s love toward us, so that we may turn to God and live. Oftentimes, we take God’s kindness as weakness and powerlessness or God’s forbearance as slack in justice or judgment, when instead it is God being merciful toward us and patient with us out of a loving desire not to see us eternally destroyed. 
• This statement doesn’t mean that God has no standards. The rest of the passage (and the witness of Scripture as a whole) makes that clear. What it does mean is that God is fair and all who seek Him and seek to do good will receive eternal life, no matter their background.  

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Evening Reflection

While we saw the dangers of sinful partiality in favoritism in our passage this morning and learned of the dangers of our own judgments this afternoon, we also know that our favorite things and preferences can point to the specific ways God has blessed us. Spend some time reflecting on some of your favorite things, relationships, memories and experiences. Why are those things your favorites?  In light of your list, spend time thanking God for the special and particular ways He has blessed you. 

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on April 15, 2018, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Your Faith Has Healed You.”

Mark 10:46-52

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Growing up, I used to love going over to my best friend’s house to play. However, I wasn’t allowed to go over to his house until his parents came home. Being an impatient child, I would call his house up to 10 times a day to see if they were home. While most parents would probably be annoyed by my constant calling, my friend’s parents found it endearing that I wanted to play with their son so desperately.  

In this passage, we see Bartimaeus sitting by the road begging for money; at this time, Jericho was a wealthy city and many beggars would line up along the city entrance, hoping political elites or traders would give them money. According to Luke 18:35-43, as Jesus walks out of Jericho, Bartimaeus inquires why there is so much noise—it was a commotion that he had never heard before. When he hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, Bartimaeus immediately cries out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” When the crowd tries to quiet him down, he cries out even louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Jesus heals him and says, “Your faith has healed you.” Bartimaeus’ desperation resembles a child-like persistence. He knew that only Jesus could heal his blindness, and he wanted to desperately meet Him. While people found his persistence annoying, Jesus called it “faith.”

Sometimes we equate faith with knowing more theology and having more knowledge. However, in the kingdom of God, a child-like faith lets us experience Him. Please understand that theology and knowledge are important because they both facilitate our faith, but they do not define it. In Mark 10:14, Jesus says, “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” God is encouraging us to have a child-like persistence, so that we may experience Him!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that You desire for us to experience the kingdom of God. You do not make it a mystery, but You give us a blueprint to follow. Help me to be like Bartimaeus and have a child-like faith. In Jesus name. Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 8

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on August 26, 2017. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Trusting the One Who Writes the Story”

Genesis 42:28

He said to his brothers, “My money has been put back; here it is in the mouth of my sack!” At this their hearts failed them, and they turned trembling to one another, saying, “What is this that God has done to us?”

 In 1967, Joni Eareckson Tada suffered an accident that left her as a paraplegic. She was only seventeen years old at the time. Her condition left her depressed and angry; however, she came to believe that God could use her disability for His glory. In the last fifty years, she has spoken, written books, and created international ministries. Taking stock of how God’s grace has allowed her to taste grace and minister to others, she can say, “It’s why I thank God every day for my wheelchair.”

Often, when our circumstances take a turn for the worst, it can be very easy to despair, just like Joseph’s brothers. Why has God allowed something strange and ominous to happen to us? We might even wonder if God has forsaken or turned against us; there is no clear picture for how today’s trials could become part of something good. What Joseph’s brothers could not see was that their hearts were being tested, and this temporary circumstance was a necessary step towards their own redemption and eventual reconciliation with Joseph.

Without knowing the end of the story, we can find ourselves ready to lose hope. It is hard to trust that things may work out or that God’s intentions are good. All we can see is the disappointment and the trial; the prospect of future glory or a joyful ending seems out of our grasp. 

If you are caught in difficult times today, be encouraged to not give up hope and put your trust in the goodness of our God. Though the road may be mysterious and strange, we believe that He is purposeful and will not waste our experiences; rather, He will redeem them. Let us hold onto our hope that God is near and with us. 

Can any of us see to the end? No, but we can see and know the One who does. May we be strengthened as we see Him with knowledge that He loves us and will persevere with us to the end. If He Himself perished for the purpose of drawing us close and making us one with Him (Romans 8:32), He will surely not let go of us in the meantime.

Prayer: Lord, we know that You hold the world in Your hands and that You hold onto us. Flood out the fears from our hearts and give us the courage to trust You. Help us to see that You are good. Please give us Your joy and Your strength as You have Your way in our lives! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 6-7

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on February 9, 2018.  A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Freely Given”

Genesis 44:1-2

Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, 2 and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him.

Joseph is being tricky. He is purposely trying to get Benjamin in trouble so that he can see his brothers protect Benjamin. In a sense, he wants to see if his brothers will treat Benjamin in a similar way to how they had treated Joseph before he ended up in Egypt. Still, Joseph returned their money and gave them more food than they paid for, though he secretly put his silver cup in Benjamin’s pack. All this made his brothers nervous and made them wonder what Joseph was really up to.

Though Joseph was actually being tricky, in our culture, we can often be skeptical when someone tries to give us something for free. We feel like there is a catch. At Symphony Church, we often do something called “servant evangelism,” where we hand out granola bars or water bottles to people as a simple act of service; yet, many people are skeptical, thinking there must be a catch. But there isn’t—we just want to bless them! But still, many people think we must be up to something, that we are being tricky in some way.

This attitude can even bleed into our relationship with God. Free things make us nervous, so we do not accept free grace. We often operate under an attitude of needing to earn this grace. We think, “It can’t really be free!” But it is! Unlike Joseph, God is not tricky. He does not give us grace in a self-interested way. He gives grace at the cost of His Son. And even more, the Bible tells us that God gives us “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). He gives us more than we could imagine. Though Joseph was being tricky when he gave his brothers more than enough food, God freely gives us more than enough.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that You freely bless me with every spiritual blessing. Many times, I find it difficult to accept this, yet still You give and give to me. Lord, You truly are a wonderful Father who gives every good and perfect gift. May I continually give thanks for all that You continually give to me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 5

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Lunch Break Study  

Read Ephesians 1:3-4: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Questions to Consider

• In this passage, what is the reason Paul is blessing God?
• What do you think it means that God has blessed us “with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places”?
• What is the end result of receiving these blessings from God?

Notes

• Because God has blessed us! Similar to how John says that “we love because God first loved us” (1 John 4:19), we bless God because He first blessed us! Our worship of God is an overflow of the abundant blessings that God has poured out on us. Let’s worship God today because of the immense blessing He continually pours out on us!
• First off, we need to recognize that the grounding of these blessings is “in Christ.” We receive this blessing because we are in Christ. Jesus, as God’s beloved Son, is blessed by God because of this immense love God has for His Son. Similarly, in Christ, we are called “children of God,” so this spiritual blessing is similar to that immense love God has for Jesus. Jesus, in the heavenly places, is eternally loved by His Father and we enter into this great love relationship as we are called children of God. As children, we receive more blessing than we could ever imagine! We receive perfect, eternal love. 
• We are transformed! We may read this and think, Oh, Paul says that we need to be holy and blameless. Suddenly, this leads us to think we are only loved by God when we actually are holy and blameless, as if this is something we need to do. But that is not what Paul is saying! He is saying that as we receive this blessing, it demonstrates that God has called us His own and this results in us being transformed. We become holy and blameless not by our strength but by receiving the blessings from God.

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Evening Reflection

Tonight, spend some time in thanksgiving. God has given you blessing upon blessing, though often we do not notice or we take it for granted. Let’s consciously thank God for all that He has given us.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 24, 2017, is provided by Jennifer Kim who served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God’s Love for the Marginalized”

Jeremiah 5:26-31 

“For wicked men are found among My people, they watch like fowlers lying in wait; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit; therefore they have become great and rich. 28 They are fat, they are sleek, they also excel in deeds of wickedness; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; and they do not defend the rights of the poor. 29 Shall I not punish these people?” declares the Lord, “On a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself? 30 An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?”

Sometime last summer, I was at our church office working especially late preparing for three large events, when I heard our church doorbell ring. Assuming it was a fellow staff member who might have forgotten their keys, I unassumingly opened the door to find a homeless man covered in soot. Startled, but concerned, I asked the man if he needed food or water. He politely declined and simply asked if I had socks in the building. Upon looking at his feet, I noticed that he was bleeding on his foot; yet not having any clothes at our office, the man asked if I could call an ambulance for him. Soon after, the paramedics and police arrived; and upon seeing the man, they began to interrogate him without ever asking if he was hurt.  Their first words were, “Why are you so dirty?” It was an absolutely heartbreaking experience to see the people who took an oath to serve and protect the community marginalize this man without a concern for his health—simply because of his state.

In this passage we see God particularly emphasize Judah’s lack of concern for the orphans and the poor. He declares them wicked in their plans to marginalize the needy for their personal benefit. Amongst the long list of Judah’s sin, God highlights the injustice of the marginalized, and asks how He could leave this sin unpunished.

God’s concern for the weak, poor, and hurting are the top of God’s concern. While it may be easy to pass by the homeless and to think there is little we can do to help the orphans and hurting, God calls us to be the light of the world. To be the light and solution to the world, we must be the same channel of love and hope that saved us from our own sins. Let us take time from our day today to find ways to be the light in the areas of darkness around us.

Prayer: God, I thank You for Your love that saved a wretch like me. Help me to realize Your love is the only one that can save. Help me to be the agent of love with the love You poured out to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 4

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 25:31-40: When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” 37 Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” 40 The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Questions to Consider

• What does God require of His children to receive their inheritance in full?
• How does God associate Himself with the needy?
• Take some time to think about a group of people that may be difficult for you to love. What are some obstacles you need to overcome to love them?

Notes

• God requires His children to do acts of service in tending to those in need.
• God states that what one does for the sick, hungry, and imprisoned is the same as what they do for Him.
• Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

Today we spoke on God’s call to all believers to serve, love, and defend the marginalized in our society. Take time to reflect on your day. Did you take time out of your day to find ways to show love and be a light to the world? If not, tomorrow is a new day, but think of ways you can show the love God to those who may need it.

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 9, 2018, is provided by Joshua Chzen. Joshua has been leading worship at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, California, for many years. He and his wife, Sandra, were married in 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Where is the Lord?”

Jeremiah 2:4-8

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. 5 Thus says the Lord: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? 6 They did not say, ‘Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’ 7 And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. 8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.

My love for bargain hunting was passed down from my mom.  When I was in elementary school, she began taking me along on her trips to Ross and TJ Maxx. For the most part, I would stick to her like glue as she dug through rack after rack of clothing. Eventually, we would pass by clearance bins filled with movies, computer games, toys, and other junk. I dug through those like they were treasure pits—  so focused that I wouldn’t even realize that my mom had moved on to other sections of the store. Not once would it occur to me to ask where my mom was. More often than not, she would circle back for me before I was done scavenging; but there were a few times I finished, only to look up and realize that my mom wasn’t there. Feelings of mild panic would quickly grow worse as I wandered off into the rest of the store with no clue where to look. Fortunately, she usually managed to find me before I started crying.

God rebukes Israel in this passage for forsaking Him. The charges He lays out against His people are of idolatry—a struggle shown consistently and prominently in the history of Israel. However, it’s interesting to note that their idol worship doesn’t seem to come from a deliberate attempt to spurn God. He points out not once, but twice their failure to look to Him—they had forgotten to ask the simple question, “Where is the Lord?” Israel had forsaken God, not out of their sheer will to leave Him, but out of their lack of will to remember Him. After all God had done, they simply forgot Him amidst everything else they had in front of them.

Today, there are a thousand different things that can command our attention at any given moment. As sinful people, we can’t overestimate our ability to stay focused on heavenly things. It’s too easy for us to assume we’re spending our time well and headed on the right track, when really we’re just pursuing distractions. We don’t want to be the one digging through the clearance bin, only to look up and realize that God is somewhere else. Like the Israelites, it’s usually through our lack of will to remember God—through our passive neglect—that we end up forsaking Him. As He guides us through every context of life, God expects us to follow Him—and this begins by willfully asking the question, “Where is the Lord?” 

Prayer: Lord, I know it’s easy for me to forget You. Thank You that even through this, You never leave me nor forsake me. Give me a heart that desires to go where you go, and discerns where You are moving. Help me to go out of my way to seek You out. In Your Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 3

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Lunch Break Study

Read Deuteronomy 8:10-14 (NIV): When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Questions to Consider

• Under what circumstances does the author Moses caution against forgetting God?
• What kind of attitude does Moses say will precede forgetting God?
• What are some steps we can take not to forget about God?

Notes

• In vv. 12-13, Moses paints a picture of wealth, prosperity, and success. After decades of trials and suffering, the Israelites would have finally reached the Promised Land. Of course, this is the land God has given them, and these things are all attributed to the God who brought them through the trials and into the blessing.
• Moses warns against hearts of pride setting in, after experiencing God’s blessing—the implication is that the Israelites will believe that they have worked for and earned all the things that God had blessed them with. They will forget that God was the one who sustained them and blessed them.
• Failing to observe God’s commands, laws, and decrees leads to forgetting Him. By routinely spending time reading His Word and receiving through prayer and meditation, we can create a baseline for God’s commands to be present in our hearts.

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Evening Reflection

Think about your day—where was God moving? How does He want you to approach tomorrow differently? Spend some time asking Him to show you where He is, and where He wants you to be. 

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 10, 2018, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional for This Morning

“First shall be Last.”

Mark 9:30-37

They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

A couple of years ago, our small groups went through a workshop called, “When Helping Hurts.” This material taught us the best way to help those without homes, without hurting them. While the material did give practical suggestions, it taught us that the only way to truly help the homeless community was to change our perception of ourselves. Rather than coming from an “I am better off than you, so let me help you” mentality, we need to recognize that we are no different. Because of our sin and our wretchedness, we are in need of Jesus to rescue us. It is only through this lens, that we can truly embrace those without homes. Through embracing the marginalized, we are embracing Jesus.

In this passage, Jesus sits with the Twelve and talks about the “Upside down kingdom.” He mentions in verse 35, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” However, to make His point clearer, He equates welcoming a child to welcoming the Father. How do these two verses connect?

In ancient Israel, children were considered fundamentally deficient and not yet human in a full sense. They were physically small, underdeveloped, and vulnerable. This child represented all people who were disregarded by society; the weak, the poor, the sick, those without homes, tax collectors, and prostitutes. 

I believe Jesus is telling us that in order to become first in the kingdom of God, we need to embrace those who are marginalized in our society. More than just meeting their physical needs, followers of Jesus need to welcome them with open arms. Because of our sin, this difficult act requires us to lower ourselves and to see that they are no different than us. This cannot be accomplished by our own strength, but only through the transformational work of the Holy Spirit! Today, let’s spend some time asking the Lord to give us hearts of compassion for the marginalized people of our society. As we embrace the oppressed, we embrace the Father.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that you are a compassionate Father. Please remove any obstacles in my heart that prevents me from seeing that I am no different than the oppressed. Help me to love them the way You love them. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 2

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Lunch Break Study

Read Micah 6:6-16: “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Listen! The Lord is calling to the city—and to fear your name is wisdom—“Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.^[b] Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house, and the short ephah,^[c] which is accursed? Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights? Your rich people are violent your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully. Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin^[d] you because of your sins. You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty.^eYou will store up but save nothing, because what you save^[f] I will give to the sword. You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine. You have observed the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their traditions. Therefore I will give you over to ruin and your people to derision; you will bear the scorn of the nations.^[g]”

Questions to Consider

• In verses 3-5, what is the Lord’s attitude when He begins His case against the Israelites?
• According to verse 8, what does the Lord require of Israel?
• How does the Lord judge the Israelite’s wickedness? (see vv. 14-15)

Notes

• The Lord begins with questions which reveal the Lord’s sadness for His people. The Lord reminds them all that He has done for them. Yet, Israelites reject His love by acting wickedly. 
• The Lord requires the Israelites to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with their God. 
• The Lord judges the Israelites by taking away their blessing. The imagery He uses in verse 14-15 show that the Israelites will work hard but never reap the benefits. 

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Evening Reflection

Today, we learned that to be first in the kingdom of God, we need to be last. Jesus gives us a practical advice of how to follow this kingdom principle. He calls us to love and embrace those who are oppressed and broken. Spend some time this evening asking the Lord to give us strength to take the first step to love those who are marginalized in our society.