Editor’s Note:  The AMI Quiet Time devotionals from August 3-5 are provided by Tina Hsu who is interning at Church of Southland.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 4:22-27 (NASB)

Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return.” He said, “Why will you go to him today? It is neither new moon or sabbath.” And she said, “It will be well.” Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, “Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless I tell you.” So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with your child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 

When I am going through a tough time, my natural tendency is to withdraw and isolate myself from people and from God. Usually it is because I’m afraid to face my troubled emotions or I turn to my own strength to deal with the matter.  The faith of the Shunammite woman encourages me to do the exact opposite. When I want to isolate myself, I should instead run with all my determination and might to the presence of God.

The book of 2 Kings begins with Ahaziah, the king of Israel, inquiring Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, for his illness. King Ahaziah does not give any regard to the God of Israel. He does not inquire of God’s word. In contrast, the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 determines to seek God and only God when she faces with troubling news. After offering hospitality to Elisha the prophet, the Lord blesses her with her first and only son. However, her son gets injured and dies in her arms. Though she is broken and troubled in her soul, she shows determination to find Elisha, the man of God. Instead of asking her husband to find Elisha, or sending her servant to find Elisha, she herself saddles a donkey and brought with her a servant to “run to the man of God.” She instructs her servant to lead her quickly and to not slow down until she reaches Elisha at Mount Carmel and appears before him to catch hold of his feet.

What stands out in this passage is the woman’s response to her husband and then to Gehazi, Elisha’s servant: “It will be well, and “it is well.” In her crisis and in her desperation to inquire of Elisha the prophet, she displays a steadiness of heart. Knowing that she could have access to inquire of the Lord gave her the steadiness of heart to say, “It is well.”

Knowing that God’s presence is a steady and constant shelter awakens my troubled soul to say “it is well” and to draw near to seek Him.

Prayer

Dear God, forgive me for isolating myself from You and trusting in myself or other means to find safety and shelter in times of trouble. Help me to seek Your presence and truly believe that You are my ever present help in time of trouble (Ps. 46:1)! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Micah 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 5:25-29: A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse—after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Questions to Consider

1. What was this woman’s situation?
2. What did she see in Jesus that led her to approach Him in the crowd and to touch His cloak?
3. In light of the woman’s determination to touch Jesus’ cloak, how are you encouraged to seek the Lord today?

Notes

1. She suffered from bleeding for twelve years. After spending money to seek the help of physicians, she only grew worse. Because of the purity code in 1st century Israel, she was socially ostracized and had to identify herself as “unclean” in public so that people would stay away from her, or else they would become defiled if they came in contact with her.
2. She probably heard and saw that Jesus was not bound to the purity code. He approached and laid hands on lepers, paralytics, the blind, and the lame. His word and His touch made the unclean clean! She thought she could find healing and love in His presence.
3. Personal response.

 Evening Reflection

Psalm 36:7 says, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Spend some time praising and thanking God for His steadfast love, even when circumstances are uncertain and unsteady.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI Quiet Time devotionals from August 3-5 are provided by Tina Hsu who is interning at Church of Southland.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 4:1-7 (NASB)

Now a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few. And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sins, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full.”…When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is no one vessel more.” And the oil stopped.

In this story, we meet a widow in great distress. Her husband is dead and she is not able to pay off her family’s financial debt. Her creditor threatens to take her two sons as slaves. In the ancient world, a widow is vulnerable to poverty and social alienation. After her husband’s death, a widow’s security is her son’s ability to provide for her. To lose her sons to the creditor would be a tragic loss for her.  Here, she cries out to Elisha for survival and protection.

By obeying Elisha’s instructions regarding her small jar of oil, the widow and her sons experience God’s miracle. God takes her small amount of oil and multiplies it to fill several large empty vessels!

We can learn from this story that the experience of God’s miracles is directly related to our faith and obedience. We can’t work for or earn God’s miracles. However, as children of God, we are called to position ourselves to trust God and to readily receive His provision. The widow shamelessly asks her neighbors for vessels, shuts the door of her house, and begins to pour oil. She positioned herself to experience God’s miracle. Her neighbors might have wondered, “Why do you need all my jugs, buckets, and jars? Where will the oil come from?” By her obedience, she demonstrated her faith in what only God could do.

Second, in our distress, God invites us to offer to Him our “little jar of oil” or  “empty vessels.” This is an act of trust, which demonstrates our belief that nothing is too hard for God. Surely, God will provide in His way!

I am encouraged by the widow’s faith and desire to see my anxious thoughts as an opportunity to believe in God’s miracle. Is there anything causing you distress today? What is the “little jar of oil” or “empty vessel” you can entrust to God? Be encouraged by Psalm 50:15, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Prayer

Dear God, I confess to You my fears, distress, and anxieties today. Help me to trust in You and Your ability to provide abundantly. Give me the courage to believe in Your miraculous power, and help me to honor You through steps of faith and obedience.

Bible Reading for Today: Micah 3

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NASB):

For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.” 

Questions to Consider

1. How did Apostle Paul respond to the affliction he faced?
2. How did Apostle Paul encounter God in and through his suffering?
3. In light of this, what does it look like to set your hope in God? How are you doing in trusting God as your hope?

Notes

1. Apostle Paul, speaking about Timothy and himself, acknowledged that the affliction they faced in Asia was beyond their strength. They saw clearly that they had no control of their own lives. They saw the purpose of suffering as an opportunity to trust not in themselves, but in God, who is their deliverer and hope.
2. Through his experience of suffering, he personally encountered God as the one who raises the dead. His encounter of God as deliverer enables him to declare in faith that God will continue to deliver him.
3. Personal Response.

 Evening Reflection

Did you recognize any fears, doubts or unbelief in your heart today? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you confess the distress in your heart and to fully set your hope in God. What characteristic or attribute of God do you think He wants to reveal to you through your current circumstances?

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from August 1-2 are provided by Jabez Yeo of TRPC, New York. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Timothy 4:6-7

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

On June 15^th 2015, missionary Elisabeth Elliot passed away at age 88. Mrs. Elliot grew up in Philadelphia and studied classical Greek at Wheaton College, seeking to be equipped to translate the Bible into an unknown language. It was at Wheaton where she met her husband, Jim Elliot, who also had a heart to share Christ with the unreached. The Elliots went to serve amongst the Quichua Indians in Ecuador along with four other missionary families in the mid 1950’s. On Jan 8^th 1956, the five male missionaries attempted to make contact with the Hourani Indians but were killed by them during their attempts to communicate.

Though their lives vary greatly in length, Jim and Elisabeth provide two inspiring examples of finishing the race well. In regards to Jim, he passed away at age 28 and had seemingly nothing to show for his life other than a college degree and a small family. However, his journals were collected and later used by Elisabeth to write Through Gates of Splendor and Shadow of the Almighty. These two missionary accounts inspired thousands of Christians to become missionaries and serve among unreached peoples. One quote in his journal that still inspires many today is: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

In regards to Elisabeth, she ended up outliving Jim by almost 60 years! Yet her life, too, was used by God in extremely powerful ways. Elisabeth ended up serving amongst the Huaorani and Quecha Indians for several years, planting churches and raising disciples. Once back in the U.S., she wrote several more classics such as Passion and Purity and The Mark of a Man. She counseled thousands of people through mail correspondence and her radio program Gateway to Joy ministered to many believers.

Like Jim and Elisabeth, heroes of faith who have gone before us, let us fix our eyes on the crown of righteousness that the Lord has for us. We may not know how long our race may be, but let us run well to receive the prize (Phil 3:14).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I only have this one life to live. Help me not to throw it away aimlessly or to try and save it through my own means. Help me to lose my life for Your sake, for what good is it if I gain the whole world but lose my soul? By Your grace, help me to run this race well; may my life be used for Your glory. In Your Name I pray, Amen

 Bible Reading for Today: Micah 2

Editor’s Note:  The AMI QT devotionals from August 1-2 are provided by Jabez Yeo of TRPC, New York. 

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Hebrews 5:7-9: During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him”

One of my favorite movies is the original Karate Kid. The main character, Daniel LaRusso, is the new kid who gets picked on by bullies who know karate. To learn how to fight back, Daniel asks his neighbor Mr. Miyagi to teach him karate. Mr. Miyagi agrees but immediately instructs Daniel to begin washing cars, polishing floors and painting fences. After a week of frustration, Daniel confronts Mr. Miyagi about the lack of training; but only after sparring with Mr. Miyagi does he realize that those exact chores were the means to develop his muscle memory for karate.

All of us, like Daniel, will go through seemingly fruitless life circumstances. Our Lord Jesus did so Himself. He who was omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent endured His own suffering by being made in human likeness (Phil. 2:7). Like us, Jesus was exposed to hunger, temptation and hard work.  And though He was able to discuss religion superbly at age 12 (Luke 2:41-52), He was raised as a carpenter and did not began preaching until age 30. Why was this?

Hebrews 5:7-9 answers by stating that Jesus had to be made perfect by learning obedience through suffering. “This does not mean that he was once disobedient and then became obedient,” as John Piper writes. Rather, “it means that Jesus moved from untested obedience into suffering and then through suffering into tested and proven obedience.” Piper then explains that “if Christ is going to lead us to glory, then He must succeed in sufferings where we failed.” Thankfully, Jesus did exactly that by becoming completely obedient, even to the point of death on a cross (Phil. 2:8).

If Jesus, who knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21), had to be perfected through life’s trials, how much more do we who are sinful need that perfection process? In our lives today, let us pray that we will have a willing heart to undergo challenges God has placed in our lives. Let’s pray that from those challenges, we may be perfected in order to do the good works God has prepared us to do (Eph. 2:10).

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for being the example of complete obedience and submission. Thank You for being the High Priest who has been tempted in every way but did not sin; thank You for being able to empathize with my weaknesses. Lord, help me to confidently approach Your throne of grace, so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help in times of need. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Jonah 4; Micah 1

Editor’s Note:  The AMI devotionals for July 30 and 31 are written by pastor-intern David Son at Symphony Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 3:16-18

And he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will make this dry streambed full of pools. ’ For thus says the Lord, ‘You shall not see wind or rain, but that streambed shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your livestock, and your animals. ’ This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand.”

The first miracle I ever experienced was when I was 7 years old. I used to be a coin collector when I was in elementary school, and although most of my collection comprised of pennies and nickels, my prized possession was an old silver dollar coin. At least once a week, I’d open my little coin box and just gaze at each coin, especially at the silver dollar. But one evening, I took my coin box to church to show off to my friends, and as I was going through each of the coins, to my horror, the silver dollar was missing! I looked everywhere for it; I emptied the box, searched under the seat… nothing. It was gone! So, I got down on my knees and prayed the most sincere prayer I had ever prayed until that point in my life, “God, please help me find my coin!” And when I opened my eyes, I looked back into my box, and there it was—  shining like it had never left the box. I had never felt so much excitement and relief! That was my first taste of the power of God.

In 2 Kings 3, three kings are asking for God’s help in defeating the Moabites in battle. Although this is a much weightier prayer request than my plea for help in finding my lost coin, what God says in verse 18 gives us God’s perspective: “This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord.” A light thing! I wonder how many of our dire requests to God are actually light things to Him! Have you considered the incredible power of our God as you face today?

Prayer

Lord, You are above all things, and nothing is too difficult for You. Heaven is your throne and earth is your footstool, yet you hear even the lightest of our pleas. Increase our faith today as we take on the various challenges ahead of us.

Bible Reading for Today: Jonah 3

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Questions to Consider:

1. How does Paul describe our afflictions (hardships)?
2. Do you see your hardships in this way?
3. Why is Paul able to call our hardships “light and momentary”?

Notes:

1. Paul describes our affliction as “light and momentary.” In other words, he is saying that our hardships are easy and short.
2. Most people do not see their hardships this way… otherwise they wouldn’t be hardships, right?
3. Paul went through more affliction than most of us will ever go through in our lifetime. Yet he is able to call it “light and momentary” because he is looking at the eternal glory of being with Jesus. In light of that, every hard thing on this earth seems light in comparison, and short in comparison!

 Evening Reflection

An old hymnal goes like this:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face!

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

May we look upon Jesus each day and find that our affliction is but light and momentary in comparison to His glory and grace!

Editor’s Note:  The AMI devotionals for July 30 and 31 are written by pastor-intern David Son at Symphony Church.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 3:9-12a

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?”

Wars require water. Especially in ancient times, having enough water for your army could be the determining factor in the outcome of a battle. In fact, water was so important to maintaining an army that poisoning enemy water sources was a common practice of ancient warfare. In this chapter, three armies (Israel, Judah, and Edom) join together to fight against the enemy Moabites. An incredible force! But they seem to have run into a major problem… they had no water. Hundreds of thousands of thirsty soldiers and many more animals are all but useless without water. In this dire situation, we see two distinct responses from two different kings: Jehoram, the king of Israel, said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab,” while Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?”

Interestingly, both kings referred to the name of the Lord. The king of Israel used the name of the Lord to pronounce blame for the impending doom. On the other hand, in a seemingly hopeless situation, the king of Judah sought the word of the Lord. When we are in tough situations, how do we approach the Lord?

Prayer

Lord, You are greater and bigger than any obstacle or problem that we can face in our lives. We seek You, and we ask to hear from You as we go through this day. Help us to meditate on Your Scripture; build up our faith as we meditate on it.

Bible Reading for Today: Jonah 2

Lunch Break Study

Read John 5:39-40

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

Questions to Consider:

1. Who is Jesus talking to here? (You may have to refer to the entire chapter.)
2. What was wrong with the way these Jewish leaders were reading Scripture?
3. According to this passage, how should we be reading Scripture?

Notes:

1. Jesus is talking to the Jews—more specifically, the Jews who set out to kill him, which were the Jewish religious leaders.
2. It seems as though these Jews had significant knowledge of Scripture but could not make the connection to Jesus Christ. In other words, their knowledge of Scripture was solely informational.
3. Jesus does not ever deny the importance or the authority of Scripture, but He says here that Scripture bears witness to Jesus. When we read Scripture, we ought to be thinking of how its words, stories, and commands reveal to us the person and nature of God! A great question to ask while reading any Bible passage is, “What does this reveal about our God?”

 Evening Reflection

As the day draws to an end, reflect on the different ways you interacted with the Lord today. Have you sought His voice? Have you read His Word? Especially if you are in a difficult season right now, take some time to quiet your heart and inquire of the Lord.

Editor’s Note:  AMI devotionals from July 27-29 are provided by Ulysses Wang of TRPC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 2:15-18

The company of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit of the Lord has picked him up and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”  “No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.” 17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Have you ever longed to be one of Jesus’ twelve disciples?  To have walked, talked and eaten with Him?  I am sure that most Christians have, and who could blame them?  The idea of seeing Christ in the flesh, witnessing His miracles, hearing all of His teachings firsthand – these are the things that dreams are made of.  I bet that’s similar to how the “company of the prophets” felt after Elijah was taken up to heaven.  Yes, they recognized that “the Spirit of Elijah [was now] resting on Elisha,” but there was something within them that still longed for Elijah – his ministry, his power, and maybe even just for the man himself.  Therefore they insisted on organizing a search party to recover their spiritual icon.  There efforts, however, would be in vain, as God had another plan – His work would be continued and would lack nothing through Elijah’s successor Elisha.

We have much to learn from this story, for it is our story.  Jesus said in John 16:7, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.”  How in the world could Jesus’ leaving ever be a good thing?  Because, as He continues on, “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”  The Advocate is none other than the Holy Spirit.  If Jesus didn’t leave, the Holy Spirit never would have come, and if the Spirit never came, He could not dwell in the hearts of all believers (1 Cor 3:16; Rom 8:11).  But because He came and dwells in our hearts, God’s ministry to this world continues through us, broken vessels though we are, yet filled with the power of God.  In fact, it was not hyperbole when Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).  Just as Elisha’s ministry did indeed reflect the fullness of Elijah’s, so does ours reflect the power of a Christ-inaugurated kingdom.

Because “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3), we do not need to envy the past, but can be excited about what God will do through us in this generation.  God the Spirit walks and talks with us.  Through communion we enjoy table fellowship with Christ.  We have everything we need.  Let’s do this.

Prayer

God, give me the faith to believe that the story continues with me.  Help me to be more aware of Your presence, with me in the Person of God the Spirit, so that I can believe for great things and seek them out.  Fill me with the power of the Spirit to overcome the temptations that may come my way and to enable me to shine Your light wherever I am.  Amen!

Bible Reading for Today: Jonah 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 6:8-15:

Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Questions to Consider

1. How would you describe the manner in which witnesses against Stephen were produced as well as the nature of the accusations?
2. How might you have felt or reacted if you were in Stephen’s shoes?
3. According to v.15, how did Stephen react? What can we learn from him?

Notes

1. The witnesses were “false” and the accusations egregious distortions of Jesus’ teachings, abused to the benefit of Stephan’s accusers.
2. A sense of anger, indignation, or injustice?
3. No matter how we are wronged, no matter the injustice we experience, can we face it with “the face of an angel”? This doesn’t necessarily mean succumbing to whatever evil befalls us, but it does mean approaching every situation with love, forgiveness and blamelessness.

 Evening Reflection

“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8

Editor’s Note:  AMI devotionals from July 27-29 are provided by Ulysses Wang of TRPC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 2:9-14

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” 11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. 13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

“Carpe diem. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary”: In Dead Poets Society, John Keating (played by Robin Williams) used these words to inspire a group of young English students to aspire to live lives of significance. He reminded them that in just a few short years, they would be dead and fertilizing the flowers of the field. Much of our millennial generation would agree with Keating – that life is short and therefore should be lived to its fullest. How this plays out, however, varies greatly by individual. Some throw themselves into making the next hot app, dreaming of millions (if not billions) as they program away into the night. Others look for meaning in experiences, whether through travel or thrills or drugs. Still for others, romantic love is the answer. Whatever the path, meaning is the goal.

Elisha was no slouch himself. When his master Elijah was about to be taken up to heaven, he asked for a “double portion of [his] spirit.” In other words, he wanted everything that Elijah had – the prophetic ministry, the power and the miracles. He wanted to be great in the kingdom of God. The fact that this was “a difficult thing” did not discourage him. Someone once said that if something isn’t difficult to do, then it probably isn’t worth doing. Elijah assented to his request, but not without condition – Elisha would have to witness Elijah’s ascension in order to receive such power. In other words, such power must be actively appropriated, not passively received.

In Acts 1:6-11, we witness a strikingly similar event. Jesus is taken up into heaven before the disciples’ eyes, and a few days later on the day of Pentecost, the disciples are filled with incredible power (as evidenced in Peter’s sermon as well as the ensuing miracles throughout the book of Acts). What cannot be missed, however, is what took place between these events— “They all joined together constantly in prayer…” The power of the Holy Spirit did not come upon casual observers or slack disciples – it came upon a people actively seeking the promise of the Father through prayer.

God wants us to live lives that count, and He provides the means to do so – the power of His Spirit. We can be great in the kingdom of God. But we have to go after it. What kind of life do you want to live? There is nothing stopping you from living it, no matter what your life circumstances. God’s grace is sufficient for you. But you have to take hold of it through radical, believing, faith-filled prayer. Carpe diem!

Prayer

God, I don’t want to live a lukewarm, defeated, mediocre Christian life. I want to live a radical, power-filled, miracle-witnessing, sin-overcoming life! Forgive me if I’ve settled for anything less. Give me the faith to believe that no matter how difficult, it can be achieved through Your Spirit. Give me a heart to pray. Give me a passion to pursue. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Obadiah 1

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Chronicles 4:9-10: Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

Questions to Consider

1. How would you describe Jabez’s background/past experiences? What does this teach us about how our past should affect our future?
2. What did Jabez ask of God? Do you think this was easy for him?
3. What kind of change or freedom do you need to ask of God and to believe in Him for?

Notes

1. In spite of the fact that his identity was so caught up his mother’s negative experience, he cried out to God that his life wouldn’t be bound or limited by the past.  No matter what you’ve experienced in the past, through Christ’s power you can have a different future.
2. What Jabez asked for took faith.  Oftentimes, even though we may wish for freedom from the past, we fail to seek it aggressively because we just don’t believe it could ever happen.  We become prisoners of the past.  Jabez, however, in asking God took a step of faith.
3. Be bold!  There is nothing in your life that God cannot change.

 Evening Reflection

“Every man dies. Not every man really lives.” – William Wallace.

Editor’s Note:  AMI devotionals from July 27-29 are provided by Ulysses Wang of TRPC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2 Kings 1:1-4:

After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went.

It’s obvious that in this passage God is upset at King Ahaziah because he didn’t inquire of Him as to how his illness would turn out.  What is interesting, however, is the king’s reaction to the news from his messengers regarding the “stranger” that they had met on the road.  Through nothing more than a description of his outfit, Ahaziah knew that it was the prophet Elijah (v.8).  What we can see from this is that Ahaziah was very much aware that there was a prophet of the Lord in his land, yet he had no interest in inquiring of the Lord through him.  For this, he was condemned to die from his wounds.

We take encouragement from this passage that we serve a God who wants us to inquire of Him.  Imagine that!—being invited to ask for wisdom and knowledge from the source of all wisdom and knowledge!  Our struggle, however, is that too often we don’t take God up on His generous offer.  We’ve replaced God with Google or friends or medical professionals.  Not that any of these things are wrong—these things can all be a blessing—but the problem comes when these things effectively replace God in our lives.  Inquiring of God through prayer is considered impractical.  Like Ahaziah, we know that He’s there and He’s real, but in times of trouble, we go elsewhere for answers.

Prayer

What do you need to ask God about today?  James reminds us that, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (1:5).  Spend time inquiring of the Lord.

Bible Reading for Today: Amos 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 4:14-16: Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Questions to Consider

1. How does Jesus’ ability to “empathize with our weaknesses” encourage you?
2. If Jesus never sinned, can He truly empathize? Why is it important that “he did not sin”?
3. Where do you turn to in your “time of need”? What does this say about where you place your trust?

Notes

1. It gives me confidence that he genuinely understands what I am going through. He is a God of Immanuel—one who is with us and among us.
2. Since He is God, he doesn’t need to do anything in particular to learn what we are going through. But since he went through temptations without succumbing to them, it does give us more confidence in approaching Him.
3. Personal response.

 Evening Reflection

How much did you interact with God today?  How much time did you spend talking to Him?  Was He an active part of your day?  Spend some time talking to Him about your day—the victories and defeats, the exciting things as well as the mundane.  Give Him an opportunity to speak to you.

Editor’s Note:  The AMI devotionals for July 25-26 are provided by Mei Lan Thallman of GCC.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

2Corinthian 10:17:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 10:4-5

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

For our first home, we bought a foreclosed house in South Carolina.  But it took some time to make it our home, for there were many necessary constructions—replacing carpets, water heater, windows, garage door, paint, etc.  It was a long process where we had to prioritize and pace ourselves by focusing on one project at a time so that we would not feel overwhelmed.  We, however, learned a lot about patience and perseverance through the inconveniences of the process, and we had to trust and depend on God’s timing and His provision.  But through it all, it was worth all the hard work, time, and energy to finally make this house our home; for to this day, our kids still talk about how much they miss our home in South Carolina.

A believer’s salvation and growth in Christ is also like the process of a house makeover.  The moment we ask Jesus into our heart to be our Savior and Lord, there is an exchange of ownership and a beginning of a lifelong makeover of becoming more like Christ.  Of course our salvation is secure, like the deed of the ownership by Christ himself, but the process of taking on and living out our identity as God’s new creation will take time to cultivate and develop.

God will take His ownership of our lives seriously and begin a reconstruction process through our belief system which is made up of our thoughts and attitudes; and from this belief system, our behavior and habits are formed.  He will not overwhelm us by doing it all at once, but through a process He will begin to renew our mind, thoughts and attitudes by His Word and by the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Our cooperation with Him through our trusting obedience and willingness to change are both important and key to our growth.

Taking captive of our worldly/fleshly thoughts and attitudes, ungodly defense mechanisms and destructive habits, and realigning them under Christ’s truth and character is an absolute must  and fundamental spiritual discipline in living the daily Christian walk.  It can be painful to confront and struggle with our old self, but the end result of making our lives a home where Christ feels welcomed to abide permanently is worth it.  Without His complete ownership/Lordship in every area of our lives, we simply cannot bear fruit for Him.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being the Author and Perfecter of my faith.  Please continue to teach me to a deeper surrender and cooperation to Your reconstruction in my life.  Please forgive me and cleanse me of pride, stubbornness and resistance to the conviction of Your Word and to the voice of Holy Spirit.  Help me to make my life a home that You would feel welcomed to dwell within.  Thank You that through Your work on the Cross, I can be a new creation in Christ.

Bible Reading for Today: Amos 8