REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional Spiritual, first posted on March 27, 2018, is provided by Hee Jung Lee. Hee Jung, a graduate of Biblical Theological Seminary, serves at Catalyst Agape Church (New Jersey) along with her husband Pastor Sam Lee. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Expectant Pursuit”

Mark 5:25-28 

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, “If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well.”

 “It feels like I’m always chasing you, Lord,” I recently said to God in my prayer time, retrospectively recollecting on my constant pursuit to experience more of His power and presence. It’s not as if He has ever been farther than the breath on my lips, but without question, I have sought Him; and I continue to invest my heart to seeking after the Lord. I have relentlessly pursued Him in the private, and I have sought to encounter Him in the public. 

One common fruit from all this pursuit has been that He never fails me. In fact, the Lord continues to surprise me with fresh encounters of Him—not all in the familiar ways—but in ways where the Lord breathes alive dormant truths that bring experiences as reality. This expectancy fuels the pursuit, the pursuit spawns expectancy, and the Lord responds to such a desperate desire for His touch.  

Such was the case for the bleeding woman in Mark 5:28, where she says to herself, If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well. Deemed as incurable and having expended all her resources, she sees Jesus, the miracle healer walking amongst a travelling crowd; and her expectant pursuit for only a healing touch of His garment, heals her instantly. What a glorious moment where heaven met her, and the truth that God cares for her wellbeing became a realistic encounter! 

This is the joy of our salvation, that we may continue to seek after the Lord and discover that the expectancy in our pursuit will not leave us disappointed. It is the desire of the Heavenly Father to unveil Himself to us, and allow all that He speaks of in His Word regarding Himself and us to be tangible truths for us to experience as reality. Challenge Him in this if you doubt, because He responds to our wholehearted desire for Him. He is worthy of such a pursuit! 

So during this Passion Week, let us reflect on how our pursuit for the Lord may have become dry, diluted, or unbelieving. Let us make a fresh commitment to seek the Lord with eager expectancy, because the Lord is a great rewarder to those who diligently seek Him!

Prayer: Dear Father, you are worthy of all of me! You are my Father and I am your offspring. I have nothing worthwhile apart from you. I pray that you will breathe Your Spirit afresh on me. I want to be excited about all that has to do with You, and love You first with all of my heart. I want to experience Your Truths in my life. Thank you!  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 32

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Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 55:6-7: Seek the Lord while He may be found,call upon Him while He is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Questions to consider

1. How does it look to you personally to pursue God wholeheartedly?

2. Are there any disappointments you have that keeps you from believing to receive from God?

3. What is one truth in God’s Word that you want to press in to experience more of or to experience as reality?

Notes

1. The greater measure to which we set our hearts to know the Lord is the measure to which we will find Him. It’s important not to be dismayed, but His mercies are new everyday, and we can have a fresh pursuit each day, one day at a time.

2. Unaddressed disappointments can root unbelief. It should not be left to fester but should address it by recognizing, taking responsibility for agreeing with lies, repenting for it, and removing the lies. 

3. Some examples of such truths may be that God is a healer, that God is generous, that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is in us, etc.

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Evening Reflection

We started the day thinking about how we should have a wholehearted, expectant pursuit of God with our lives. In light of this reflection, did you find yourself seeking the Lord more?

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted March 5, 2018, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun. Mark is now serving as a staff at Radiance Christian Church in S.F. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Leave Home Without the Power of the Spirit”

Mark 1:1-8 (ESV)

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 

The Gospel of Mark opens with John the Baptist’s acknowledgment of the superiority of Jesus’ ministry, based on one very important distinction—the nature of their baptisms.  We read that while John baptized his followers in water, Jesus came to baptize His disciples in the Holy Spirit.  John clearly saw the limitation of his own ministry, and in this passage he talks about the fact that his own work is limited to baptism by water. 

 Now, water serves as the symbol of cleansing and the forgiveness of sin, but in reality, water does nothing more than cleanse the outside of your body.  No matter how refreshed you may feel after a shower, no one thinks that water has the capacity to cleanse the heart or renew the soul.  I remember talking with a PhD student who marveled at the unique properties of water.  (It is the only substance that is lighter in its solid form than in its liquid form, which allows for life on earth.)  Admittedly, water is amazing and it sustains physical life, but it cannot do the one thing that is most important for you and me: it cannot give life to the soul.  

It should be noted that the first activity that is identified with Jesus—the distinguishing mark of His ministry—is the fact that He is the baptizer of the Holy Spirit.  And it is this baptism in the Holy Spirit that unlocks the door to living more powerfully for God.  Dwight L. Moody, the great American evangelist, speaks about his experience with the Holy Spirit in his memoirs.  In the summer of 1871, two women in his congregation felt a burden to pray for Moody “that the Lord would give him the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire.”  Every Sunday, he would see them praying in the front row, and at first, he was irritated.  Eventually, realizing he had no power behind his preaching, he decided to join them in prayer every Friday afternoon.  In November of that year, when his church burned down to the ground, he went to New York to raise funds to rebuild his church.  Day and night, he wandered the streets of the city, desperate for just a touch of God’s power in his life. 

Then suddenly it happened.  Moody explained: “One day, in the city of New York—oh, what a day!—I cannot describe it, I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name . . . I can only say that God revealed himself to me, and I had such an experience of his love that I had to ask him to withhold his hand.”  From that day on, Moody would confess that though he did not present any new truths, for some reason hundreds were converted in response to his preaching.  The message was the same, but the power behind the man had changed completely.  In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the only way that you and I can ever hope to live boldly and courageously for God. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to live in the power of Your Holy Spirit.  If there is anything that is hindering the Spirit’s work in my life, I pray that it would be revealed to me.  If there is any sin that is grieving Your Spirit, help me to come to a place of repentance.  Teach me how to live according to Your Spirit and to be filled continually by His presence. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Genesis 31

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:7-15 (ESV): Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 

Questions to Consider

• Why was it good that Jesus left the disciples after the resurrection?
• What will the Holy Spirit convict the world of?
• What does the Holy Spirit teach believers?

Notes

• Because upon His ascension, Jesus was free to send the Holy Spirit.  Now the ministry of Christ was no longer bound by His bodily limits but available to spread freely through all those who believed in His name.  
• One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.  First, the Spirit reveals the sin of unbelief and convicts the human conscience of its rejection of Christ.  Second, the Spirit directs the world to a righteousness that can only be secured through the finished work of Christ.  Finally, the Holy Spirit declares to the world the victory of Christ over Satan.  
• The Holy Spirit leads believers in the truth that is taught by the Father and the Son.  The Spirit does not teach based on His own authority, but what has been given to Him by the Son.  In essence, the ministry of the Spirit points believers to Christ and connects them to their Savior.  

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Evening Reflection

Take time in worship and prayer, asking the Lord to fill you with His Spirit.  How has the Holy Spirit been moving in your life recently?  What conviction or revelation have you experienced as a result of seeking the Lord?  

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on November 26, 2017, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“How to Measure Success?”

Genesis 22.15-19

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

My honest confession is that one of the hardest parts of ministry is that there are often no tangible measurements for success. Is a successful ministry measured by how many people come on Sundays? How much tithing and offering a church brings in? Is it by the number of baptisms or how many are in attendance in your small groups? Perhaps to some extent, but none of these are perfect measurements. But you can see why in such a context, it can become a temptation to rely on these things to get some level of measuring how well things are going. But what could follow, if not carefully checked and brought before the Lord, is a culture within the church where performance is always measured. And this can happen in our individual spiritual lives as well. 

Our spirituality can easily become twisted into thinking that certain acts entitle us to positions or blessings in life. And this is what we could read into today’s passage. Because Abraham was obedient, because Abraham was willing to sacrifice even his one and only son, God rewards Abraham with blessings. But if you carefully look at what God will bless Abraham with, aren’t these things what God has already promised to Abraham? Is this not the details of the covenant already established back in Genesis 15?

Our obedience to God does not earn God’s blessings; they allow us to walk in God’s blessings. Our obedience to God transforms us to become the vessel that can hold God’s blessings. In the end, it is God’s grace towards us that we are able to experience His blessings. One thing we must always hold in our hearts and mind is this truth: God’s unchanging disposition is to bless. 

On this Sabbath day, find rest in the fact that our God is a God who blesses. And may our hearts respond in worship of a God who loves undeserving creatures like us. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for this story. There are many things that’s hard to understand, but it points us to the kind of relationship You had built with Abraham that led him to this point. It was You who initiated it, and it was You who sustained it. And I believe You want that same kind of relationship with me. As I learn to walk with You, may the purposes of God be fulfilled in my life as I walk in intimate relationship with You. In Jesus’ Name, amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 30

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Though, first posted on December 10, 2017, is provided by Andy Kim who is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco.  Andy is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Glorying God in All that We Do”

Genesis 26:26-31

When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, 27 Isaac said to them, “Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?” 28 They said, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, 29 that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.”30 So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. 31 In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace.

After a few years of working in corporate America, I felt the Lord calling me to pursue full- time ministry. The conversation I had with my boss would be one to remember. To provide some context, my boss was a devout Hindu who knew I was a Christian—way too devoted to church work. That day, I stepped into her office and gave her my resignation, explaining that I wanted to pursue full- time ministry. After much disbelief and negotiation, she allowed me to work on a flex schedule that gave me enough time to focus on ministry. But more than these benefits, it was her passing remark that I cherished: She said, “Andrew, you put out good work. But more than that, I feel like having you on my team means I have God on my team.” She joked saying that she wanted all the extra good karma possible, but even if it was a joke it meant everything to me. 

In our passage today, Isaac has even a greater testimony to share. Keep in mind, Isaac and Abimelech started on the wrong foot after Isaac lied about his wife Rebekah. Not only this, Abimelech felt threatened by Isaac’s prosperity in his land and forced him out. But even in the midst of all his hatred, somehow, Abimelech returns to Isaac. Why? Because it was evident that the Lord had been with Isaac. Even this pagan Philistine king who hated Isaac couldn’t deny the presence of the Lord upon Isaac and ultimately submits to him! There is no mention of Isaac speaking to Abimelech or doing anything, but both walk away in peace. May we be encouraged to live in a manner so that others may plainly see that the Lord is with us.  D.L. Moody once said, “We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won’t need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining—they just shine.” He believed that the most effective way of showing God was by how we lived. May everything we do, whether it is how we drink or eat, reflect the glory of the Lord so that all may come to know this amazing God! 

Prayer: Father, may we be a light on a lampstand that gives light the entire world. Like how the moon reflects the sun, help us to reflect Your light to the people around us. Father, empower the way that we work, serve others, care for others, so that people may see Your love in us. May our lives become living testimonies in which people may come to know You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 28-29

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 16, 2018, is provided by Joshua Chzen. Joshua has been leading worship at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, California, for many years.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Sabbath Rest”

Jeremiah 17:19-23

This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the Gate of the People, through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem. 20 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates. 21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline.

I’ve never considered myself to be a workaholic. I have seen my fair share of people who prefer to be busy, or who need to have a schedule packed to the brim as to not waste a moment; but personally—  whether it’s due to my personality, my location (sunny San Diego), or something deeper—I’m not like that.  However, this past year brought a lot of changes and transitions in my life, and with that came a myriad of new responsibilities. As work piled up, I found myself getting busier and busier. There was always something that needed to be done or needed to be thought through—and this made it easy to forgo taking any sort of meaningful Sabbath. Why set aside an entire day away from work when that would just leave more to get back to the next day?

Of course, we’re supposed to find our rest in God, and my foolishness in the above account is immediately apparent, even as I’m writing it. We observe the Sabbath day to refresh and refocus our hearts, to remember God’s covenant and creation, and to realize our dependence on Him to sustain us through our communion. God created the Sabbath as a blessing, although it’s easy for us to dismiss it as an unnecessary luxury, or worse, an inconvenience.

Some of us may really love being busy, to the point that we idolize it; while others, like me, might just find themselves gradually with more things to do. That’s where we see the beauty of the Sabbath. Where an every-day work week may have been the norm, God commanded the Israelites to set apart one day without working; he was disrupting their normal perspective of work. In our context, it’s easy to feel good about spending time working and being productive. Conversely, it’s difficult for us to spend an entire day producing nothing tangible with our time and effort, because we feel unproductive. I believe it’s just for that reason why God mentions discipline in this passage—because He knows that even resting in the Lord is something that does not come naturally to us. Instead of being grateful to be able to spend time with God, we become agitated at having to “waste” time we could be spending doing other things. But God wants us to experience real rest. And for us to experience this real rest on a regular basis, it takes discipline—the discipline to stop working and to take a step back to remember God.

Prayer: Lord, I know it’s easy for me to fill my time with things that seem productive and important. And I know You haven’t put me where I am today just to disregard my responsibilities. But God, I want to trust that prioritizing You, finding my rest in You, and committing my time to spend with You, are all going to lead to more spiritual riches for me to reap. Help me to trust You enough to make time and space for You during the week. Fill me up so I can keep pouring out for You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 27

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Lunch Break Study

Read Exodus 31:12-17 (NIV): Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.14 “‘Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you. Anyone who desecrates it is to be put to death; those who do any work on that day must be cut off from their people. 15 For six days work is to be done, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death. 16 The Israelites are to observe the Sabbath, celebrating it for the generations to come as a lasting covenant. 17 It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”

Questions to Consider

• What are the reasons God lists for the Israelites to observe the Sabbath?
• How did the Israelites set apart the Sabbath?
• How can you set apart the Sabbath?

Notes

• It is a sign of the covenant between God and Israel for future generations; it is to know God; it is holy to the Israelites; it is holy to the Lord; it is a day of rest; and it is reflective of God’s six days of creation and seventh day of rest.
• It was simple—they refrained from working that day. The Sabbath was to be so holy and set apart that anyone who worked on that day was to be put to death. This would have been presumably in the context of pagan neighbors who were continuing to work.
• Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

We tend to forget the Sabbath because we forget that God is the One who gives us true rest. Instead, we turn to entertainment, traveling, fitness, gaming, and other activities to refresh us. Spend some time asking God to refocus your heart on Him, and that He may continue to give you abundant life.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on January 18, 2018.  Cami served faithfully as a staff member at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thoughts For This Morning

“A Series Of Unfortunate Events?” 

Genesis 38:1-10

At that time Judah left his brothers and stayed with an Adullamite man named Hirah. 2 There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with her. 3 She became pregnant and had a son. Judah named him Er. 4 She became pregnant again and had another son, whom she named Onan. 5 Then she had yet another son, whom she named Shelah. She gave birth to him in Kezib. 6 Judah acquired a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Have sexual relations with your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he had sexual relations with his brother’s wife, he withdrew prematurely so as not to give his brother a descendant. 10 What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him too.

We will spend the next few days unpacking this dark and difficult chapter of Genesis. But first, we need context. 

Judah, Joseph’s jealous brother who spearheaded his sale into slavery, moves away, marries, and has sons. The eldest grows up and marries. Yet he does evil and God takes his life. (We can only imagine what he must have done!) There was a common practice in the Ancient Near East (i.e. back in OT days) called Levirate marriage. In a society where it would have been forbidden for a woman to re-marry outside the clan and where women were utterly dependent upon the men in their family (father/husband/son – in that order) for protection and sustenance, in the event that a woman became a widow but had no sons, her husband’s brother was required to marry her and bring forth a male child. Think of this not only as a way to propagate the family name (which was important), but also as a kind of life insurance policy for the widow— ensuring her care and protection.  This is what is happening in the verses above. 

Like I said, we’ll unpack all this in the days ahead, but for today I want to summarize some things this chapter teaches us. We see in this story of Tamar and the family of Judah just how vulnerable women were in the Ancient Near East (and arguably still are in many parts of the world today). We are reminded that there are often structures in society that leave certain people over-exposed.  We see just how selfish, broken, sinful, and downright evil people can be—even those called the people of God. We are reminded that the Bible is not a compilation of stories about heroes—not Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and certainly not Judah. There is only one hero–God. And this God works good even in our sin and is present with us even in abuse. We are reminded that God is indeed El Roi (“the God who sees” [Gen. 16:3]), and that our All-Seeing God also cares deeply (enough to avenge the mistreated and to preserve this story for our viewing today). 

To be continued tomorrow… 

Prayer: Almighty God, thank You for being the God Who Sees—not only me, but all those whom You have created.  You see us and are intimately aware of our lives. I pray Your protection for those of us who find ourselves in positions of vulnerability today. I pray Your humility for those of us who find ourselves in positions to help. May I be mindful of You as I move throughout my day today. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 26

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Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 10:25-37^:  Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” 27 The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.” 28 Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side. 32 So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’ 36 Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Questions to Consider

• What is eternal life (see John 10:10 & 17:3)?  According to the verses above, how can a person experience eternal life? 
• Why do you think Jesus connects our love of God and our love of our neighbor in this way? (See also Matthew 22:36-40.) How do these two things challenge the way you typically think of eternal life. 
• Who are your neighbors? (Make a list) What would it look like for you to “Go an do the same” (v. 37)? How might this position you for a greater experience of abundant life? 

Notes

• Eternal life is both life forever with God (in the New Heaven and New Earth) as well as life abundant (the best quality of life—living life as God designed and intended). In John 17, Jesus explains that eternal life (life forever and abundant) is all about relationship—to know God and Jesus the Messiah is to have eternal life. In Luke, Jesus also explains (by His affirmation of the expert in the law’s words) that in order to position oneself to receive this life eternal, one must both love God and love neighbor.  
• The witness of Scripture as a whole presents one’s love of God and one’s love of neighbor as two sides of the same coin. If we love God, we will love those around us. If we are God’s children (conformed to God’s likeness) we will be in the world as God is (or would be in our place). (See also 1 John 4:20 & John 21:15-17.) And eternal life – that thing that Jesus came, died, and rose to give us—is defined by Christ Himself as the knowledge of God and is experienced (inherited, entered into, etc.) through our love of God and one another. Eternal life is not just dying and going to heaven. It is living forever in the all-consuming love of God that inevitably manifests as love of others.  
• Spend some time in personal reflection. 

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Evening Reflection

Spend some time this evening praying for the neighbors (near and far) that you listed in our Lunch Break Study this afternoon. If you didn’t write a list, take some time to write one now. Ask God to show you practical ways you can love them as yourself. Pray for divine appointments and opportunities in the days and weeks ahead for you to demonstrate God’s love to them. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 6, 2017.  Andrew, a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.) is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Refiner’s Fire”

Jeremiah 9:6-7 (ESV)

 Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the Lord. 7 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people”

No parent wishes to see their children suffer. But every parent knows that there are moments in which suffering is necessary for growing—especially when it comes to disobedience. As parents, it takes a great amount of patience and love to allow children to face the consequences of their actions. It seems even after many warnings, children always want to learn the hard way. And as children we hate our parents because of this, but we learn to appreciate these moments later in life as growth lessons for us. 

In our passage today, the children of God have refused to heed the warnings from God and have continued to turn to idols and other destructive practices. In fact, Jeremiah’s entire life was dedicated to warning the people of God of their pending destruction. Commentator Huey writes, “Sometimes when all warnings fail, God submits a life to the crucible of suffering for there was no other recourse for God because of his people’s sins.” And so suffering in this case was a direct consequence of their disobedience. Yet, even in the midst of our own disobedience, God still chooses to call them my people (verse 7). No disobedience will ever compromise our identity in Him. What an amazing truth this is for us! 

Even greater, God will never leave us in our rebellion lost in our sins. Instead, God refines and tests us so that we may turn from our ways and embrace Him once again. And so these seasons do not serve as punishment for our disobedience; rather, they are the evidence of His love and desire to make us into His likeness. Spend a few moments reflecting on this. In the areas that may bring regret, know that He offers redemption. For there is nothing God cannot redeem for His glory and purpose. Perhaps there are warning signs in our lives in which the Holy Spirit is nudging us. May we have open hearts to His leading. 

Prayer: Father, I confess my own spiritual blindness and disobedience. Help me to be more sensitive to Your Spirit so that I may see the warning signs in my life. Purify my heart and my desires that I may be transformed into Your likeness. Thank You for your unending grace that saves me from my sins.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 25

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Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:5-11: And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

 Questions to Consider

• Why does God discipline us? What is the importance of discipline?
• How should we receive God’s discipline in our lives? What are some spiritual disciplines you can work on?

Notes

• The author points out that discipline is actually a mark of our status as children of God. Like a father disciplining his child, God disciplines us.  God disciplines us not only to show His love for us, but also for our own good so that we may share in His holiness (verse 10). In fact, the Psalmist would even ascribe that “blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord.” The pains of discipline shouldn’t surprise us; rather, we should expect it, knowing that it is producing in us a fruit of righteousness. 
• As much as God disciplines the ones He loves, the reverse must be also be true. Those who are disciplined truly love Him. Spiritual discipline can come in the form of prayer, the word, fasting, generosity, etc. 

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Evening Reflection

In 2005, John Mark McMillan wrote the song, “How He Loves” performed by the well-known David Crowder Band. It was written after his friend died in a car accident, the same night his friend told God he would give his life if it would draw more youth to Christ. Such a story often reveals the raw emotions that surface during seasons of trials and suffering—emotions that are rarely encouraged. And to this, theologian Emmanuel Katongole writes, “Lament is not despair. It is not whining. It is more than just emotions. It is not a cry into a void. Lament is a cry directed to God. It is the prayer of those who are deeply disturbed by the way things are.” Sometimes, it’s in these deepest moments of pain where we can find the greatest experience of His grace. 

Take some time and reflect on areas you have kept hidden, because of the pain or sorrow it may bring. As God reveals you to these areas, let Him remind you that only He is the true Savior of your soul. May you find freedom in such a prayer. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on January 9, 2018, is written by Tina Pham who, along with her family, is serving in E. Asia as a missionary. Tina is a graduate of Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Returning to Spiritual Beginnings”

Genesis 35:6-7 

So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him.He built an altar there, and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother.

Whether it is looking at before and after photos of weight loss or listening to amazing testimonies of growth in people’s faith, we all love to record the positive changes in our lives. By reading Genesis 34-35 back to back, we see a great contrast in Jacob’s behavior. After his daughter was raped, Jacob responded silently: he didn’t go to rescue his daughter or confront Shechem—most likely because of fear. His lack of action opened the way for his sons to take the situation into their own hands through murder. But in the midst of this crisis and having an increasing terror of the Shechemites, Jacob clearly hears the Lord’s voice to go to Bethel and build an altar, “because there God had revealed Himself to him when he fled from his brother,” So he actively leads his family to prepare for worship by telling them to purify themselves (Gen. 35:2).  This time, Jacob responded with action instead of passivity. 

Bethel is a significant place, for this is where God first appeared to Jacob (Gen. 28) and God was so tangible and real to Jacob at that encounter. He had been running away from Esau in fear, but God’s appearance led him to praise God. By going back to Bethel—this time with his family—  Jacob declared again his faith towards God, which he first declared at the same spot in Gen. 28:21: “If God will be with me…then the Lord will be my God.” Going to Bethel was not only an escape from Shechem, but it was a time of renewal and drawing near to God; thus, he named the place El-Bethel, meaning “God of Bethel.” In mishandling his daughter’s rape situation, Jacob really “blew it” with his passivity and timidity, but he didn’t fall into despair but instead called his family to get ready for a new place with God. Though Jacob is a man of many weaknesses—which we can all relate to—he increasingly strives for God. Jacob’s spiritual journey really echoes God’s abundant grace. 

This morning, ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life that need to be renewed and to guide you in His grace.

Prayer: Dear God, teach me to receive Your grace today and also learn how to respond properly to Your grace with acts of obedience. In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 24

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV): Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Questions to Consider

1. According to Peter, how should believers pursue spiritual growth?

2. What is Peter’s encouragement to believers?

3. What is common about malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander?

Notes

1. Believers are called to depart from their former ways of life, and pursue spiritual growth by being like newborn babies who desire the pure spiritual milk. He is not saying to take on more spiritual disciplines of reading God’s word for the sake of discipline. But as we read and listen to God’s Word, crave for spiritual nourishment from the Lord. 

2. We all taste the kindness of the Lord upon conversion, but tasting more of God is an ongoing nutrition we need throughout our Christian walk so that we can grow.

3. These are sinful attitudes and behaviors that happen among people. Part of growing up in our salvation is not only loving God, but also loving people better than we did before. 

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Evening Reflection

Jacob renamed the place from Bethel (House of God) to El-Bethel (God of the House of God). In his vision during his first time at Bethel, he saw a stairway to heaven, leading him to call the place House of God. In changing the name, it was no longer about the place itself, but about God Himself. As we walk through the life of Jacob, one thing we could reflect on is how we approach our faith activities. In your life, is going to church, prayer meetings, Bible studies and small groups about fulfilling an activity or meeting with God?

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 16, 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning 

“Neither Secularized nor Sanitized but the Real MLK”

Exodus 5:1 (NIV)

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.’”

Though secularism removes any hint of God from the public square, that’s difficult to do on a day when the work of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) is fondly remembered.  Apparently, that’s not the case for the hardcore secularists who, according to Stephen Carter, professor of law at Yale, treat MLK’S religious calling “as a relatively unimportant aspect of his career, if indeed, it is mentioned at all.”  Consider what Christopher Hitchens, author of God is not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, says: “In no real as opposed to nominal sense, then, was [MLK] a Christian.”  How so?  Hitchens, who categorically classifies the Bible as a book spewing of violence, reasons that King couldn’t be a Christian since he wasn’t given to violence.  Sam Harris, another famed atheist, writes, “We simply do not need religious ideas to motivate us to live ethical lives.”  Whereas I refuse to dignify Hitchen’s illogic with a response, Harris’ view, in contrast, has its merits (see below)—but not in the case of MLK.

Indisputably, 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.”  In “God Is Marching On” speech in Montgomery, Alabama, he quoted Micah 6:8, “Act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God,” to describe the kind of people whom the voters should elect to represent them—so much for the intellectual honesty of secularists.

On the other hand, there are those who, while stressing the heroics of MLK, sanitize his life to such a degree that it borders on the cult of personality.  It’s now a matter of public record that he 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.”  Anyone who has seen an old footage showing MLK and his fellow marchers never wavering from their just cause, even when batons and fire hoses were used to halt them, would agree.  Don’t be, then, too surprised at God using MLK in spite of him, not necessarily because of him; look no further than King David, erstwhile adulterer and murderer, for proof.  Subsequently, God receives all the glory, and thus, we are inspired to place our faith on Him, not on men.  

Of course, we are far from being “a nation where [we] will not be judged by the color of [our] skin but by the context of [our] character.”  In fact, the situation in America has gotten more complicated as class now affects individual’s future prospect, argued Harvard sociologist William J. Wilson, as much as race.

That is, the middleclass folks (whether black, white or yellow) judge those who aren’t included in their class more by where they live, what they do, and the level of their education than simply the color of one’s skin.  Either way, both racism and classism originate from the same source: a proud heart.  

So, on this day, as we observe the birthday of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., an imperfect servant of God whose courageous vision carved out a path toward freedom for the oppressed (whether racial or class), let us “not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited” (Rom. 12: 16).

Prayer: Father, You created all ethnic (ethnos) groups and the people therein, and we have all fallen short of Your glory.  It was for us that You sent your Son to do what no human government can do: forgiving our sins and making us righteous in Christ.  May You use my life and church to heal the nations (ethnos).  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 23

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Lunch Break Study

Read 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.” 

Romans 2:14-5: (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)

Question to Consider

1. Martin Luther King was inspired by Moses, who boldly demanded freedom from Pharaoh (“Set my people free”).  What kind of freedom was this? 

2. While the freedom that Moses sought was important and certainly was part of God’s will, Jesus expanded that freedom during his ministry to another—a greater freedom.  What was Christ offering?

3. The atheist Sam Harris says that “we simply do not need religious ideas to motivate us to live ethical lives.” Does Romans 2:14-5 lend support to his view?

Notes

1. The freedom that Moses sought after was political and social freedom. 

2. 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). 

3. God’s law written on human hearts is universal, meaning it is applicable to atheists as well as to Buddhists.   While the conscience may not work very well, due to man’s sinful nature and unhealthy environment, God, nevertheless, places it there so that “you, . . . though evil, know how to give good gifts to your children” (Mt. 7:11).  It is not for salvation but to maintain some semblance of social order and security for the wellbeing of all. 

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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.

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on December 3, 2017, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei.  He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Willingness”

Genesis 24:57-58

They said, “Let us call the young woman and ask her.” And they called Rebekah and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”

In order to become a US Navy SEAL, you need to be 28 years or younger, have near perfect vision, be able to run 1.5 miles in 9-10 minutes or less, do 100+ pushups in 2 minutes, 100+ sit-ups in 2 minutes, and swim 500 yards (5 football fields) in less than 8 minutes. And those are just some of the physical requirements; there is a whole lot more testing that you have to pass in order to potentially become a Navy SEAL. They are one of the elite forces in the United States military, and so their selection process is very stringent. Only the cream of the crop should even think about applying. But those who go on to become SEALs are some of the most honored, respected, and saluted service-men in our nation.

The way our society works is that the more prestigious a position is, the harder it is to attain that position—that makes sense to us. Perhaps this is why it’s so counter-intuitive to serve a God whose only requirement of us is that we be willing. We don’t need to have perfect vision, be in peak physical condition, or have the best grades and test scores. All we need to have in order to be part of God’s plan is willingness. That’s it! The rest is up to God. 

Our passage today is a short one, and thus it can be easily missed. But what we see here is an incredible display of Rebekah’s willingness to respond to God’s plan. The reality is that she had just met this random man one day ago. He gave her some jewelry. Then he said some things about the Lord granting him success in his journey of finding her. Then, the next day he invites her to leave her house and go to a far-off land in order to become the wife of a man she has never met. But she trusts that God is truly behind the scenes, and she responds with a simple, “I will go,” and the rest is history. 

Rebekah’s response is not without precedent. Abraham also responded in the same way when God told him to leave his home in Ur of the Chaldeans. Also, Noah, when commanded to build a giant boat, proceeds to do so, in spite of the mockery surrounding him. Likewise, the prophet Isaiah responds to God’s call by saying, “Here I am, send me.” In the New Testament, when an angel appears before Mary with a shocking plan, Mary responds, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And perhaps the greatest example of willingness is our Lord Jesus Himself, who became obedient even to the point of death on a cross. When we look at Scripture, we see that the number one quality that God looks for in us is willingness.

How is your “willingness” these days? If God were to interrupt your plans today, how willing would you be to stop and join Him in whatever work He is inviting you into? Before we offer our skills, resources, gifts, and effort up to God, let us first don a willing heart!

Prayer: God, we recognize that the only things that are of eternal significance are the things that are of Your plan. So help us to seek Your kingdom first. Help us to put on willing hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Genesis 22