December 19, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 6, 2018, 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.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Trap that Nullifies His Grace”

Ephesians 2:4-8

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

I’ve been a Christian for almost 20 years and spent most of those years devoting my time, effort, and resources to the church. I would say I have a pretty good Christian resume—if such thing exists. It wouldn’t be too different from the people of Ephesus to whom Paul was writing to; in fact in Revelation 2, Jesus commends the church of Ephesus for its many accomplishments and good service. So in this context, Paul sternly reminds them of one of the most basic simple truths of the Christian message: grace. 

If we’re not careful, it’s easy for us to fall into the trap of basing our faith on doing things. We can easily be tempted to think, “I must be doing well with Christ since I’m doing all these things.” It might even lead us to a place of entitlement and self-righteousness. The scariest part is that all these misconceptions can go unnoticed, because if we spend enough time in the church, we can easily become professional ministers. And so Paul says to remember grace. Grace keeps us in check because it reminds us of who we were before Christ—to which Paul says we were dead in our trespasses. It’s easy to love people at their best, but it’s another thing to love them at their worst. And yet grace says that even at our worst, He made us alive together with Christ and raised us up with Him. 

Whether we’ve been a believer for a few hours or a few decades, we’ve all been saved by His amazing grace. This simple truth guards us from a sense of entitlement and self-righteousness, since everything we do and serve is a result of Christ loving us first. Grace turns our duty-based serving into glad submission. Grace points us to the love of Christ so that we may boast only in Him. Spend a few moments reminding yourself of His grace for you. Can you imagine who you would be if he didn’t come to save you? Oh, the person I would be today… Thank you, Lord. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your grace. Thank You that even at my worst, You chose to love me. I confess that I am so prone to wander from this simple truth. Holy Spirit, allow this truth to speak over my life and reveal the areas I have deceived myself. May I boast in You alone. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 6:3-8: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does it mean for us to have been baptized with Christ in His death and resurrection?
  2. Why does sin still exist in our lives? 
  3. How should we then live in light of Christ’s death and resurrection? 

Notes

  1. All the benefits and consequences of His death are ours as well. What was true of our old selves in Adam, as sinful people, is now completely gone/dead/nonexistent. Our past and sin no longer rules us. And what is true of Christ is now true of us. We have been given a new nature and identity. 
  2. In verse 6, Paul says, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing.” Notice how Paul makes a distinction here between our old self and the body. Though our old self has been crucified, we still have this thing called the body in which we live in. And since old habits die hard, the body is still used to living according to the reign of sin. 
  3. Because Satan cannot compromise our identity in Christ, he tries to tempt us in our flesh by appealing to its desires. We must learn to deny our desires of the flesh, and yield fully to His Spirit. See Galatians 5:13-26 for reference.

Evening Reflection

Spend a few moments reflecting on this popular hymn “Amazing Grace” by John Newton. For hundreds of years this song has been sung to give both strength and hope during difficult times, such as the slavery movement. Though Newton himself was a slave trader before he dedicated himself to Christ, the song reminds us that in our weakness, we are made strong in Him, for His grace is sufficient for us. Spend a few moments reflecting and singing this old, yet powerful hymn, and may we find our strength in Him.

“Amazing grace! How sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me! 

I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed.”

The Lord hath promised good to me, His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine;

but God, who called me here below, will be forever mine.

– adapted by John Rees

December 18, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on October 3, 2018, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  Shan is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Lifeline”

Jeremiah 41:16-18

Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took from Mizpah all the rest of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they went and stayed at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt 18 because of the Chaldeans. For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

 In the once popular game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, the contestants were challenged to answer fifteen trivia questions; and if successful, they would win one million dollars.  The questions would increase in difficulty as the game went on, so one of the gimmicks of the show was that each contestant would have three “lifelines” that they could use to help them if they faced a question they were unsure about.  

Throughout the history of Israel, every time they faced difficulty, one of the first “lifelines” that would immediately come to mind was to go back to Egypt.  When Israel was in the wilderness, heading to the Promised Land, they would talk about going to Egypt any time they faced difficulties or setbacks.  And here again, in Jeremiah, as Israel was falling apart the people speak of going to Egypt—it was their first lifeline.  Egypt represented survival and security for Israel.  

When it comes to facing difficulties or setbacks in your life, what is your lifeline? For some of us, it is a resolution to work harder or to turn to friends or family for help; while for others, it is to escape with media or videogames. Whatever they are, it is our means of coping and dealing with our struggles; but the lifeline that God offered Israel—and that He offers us—is His presence.  The primary reason that Israel was facing trouble in the first place was that she had neglected to turn to God as their lifeline.  God wanted to give life and joy to His people in the Promised Land, but again and again they turned to other things or sought to escape to Egypt.  

Let us not follow the example of the Israelites, but instead let us strive to seek God’s presence as our source of life!

Prayer: God, today I seek Your presence and the life that You offer me.  I pray that I will not turn to anyone else or anything else for joy but that I will turn to You first.  Fill me with Your presence.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Luke 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 55:1-3: 1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Questions to Consider

  1. This passages talks about spending and laboring on “that which is not bread.”  What are some examples of this kind of “bread”?  What is the result of laboring for this “bread”?  
  2. What is the good and rich food that God offers us?  What makes is so good?  
  3. How have you experienced the “rich food” of God in your life?  Reflect on how God’s love has been good and satisfying in your life.

Notes

  1. Spending money and laboring for “that which is not bread” is essentially putting faith or trust in anything or anyone that is not God.  It leaves people thirsty, hungry, and weary, when they pursue or “eat” anything but what God offers.
  2. What God offers us is His covenantal love (v. 3)—and He offers it to us for free!  The appeal in this passage is to come, buy and eat “without money and without price” (v. 1).  Not only are we satisfied by this food, but it brings life to us.
  3. Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Tonight, think about how things of this earth have left you feeling thirsty and hungry; on the other hand, think upon the goodness of God in your life.  God freely and lavishly offers us His life-giving presence and love.  Let us receive Him tonight.

December 17, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotionals, first posted on October 23, 2018, is provided by Pastor Paul Liu who pastors the Grace Covenant Church Singapore. He is a graduate of University of Illinois (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Judgment is a Flood” 

Jeremiah 47:2-5

 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, waters are rising out of the north, and shall become an overflowing torrent; they shall overflow the land and all that fills it, the city and those who dwell in it. Men shall cry out, and every inhabitant of the land shall wail. 3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels, the fathers look not back to their children, so feeble are their hands, 4 because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.5 Baldness has come upon Gaza; Ashkelon has perished. O remnant of their valley, how long will you gash yourselves?”

A little about myself:  I’m a missionary who goes by the title “pastor”; and it’s been one of the greatest thrills of my life to serve God in SE Asia.  My family has made two big moves in the last 13 years: first, moving from America to Indonesia; and then moving from Indonesia to Singapore.  We came here with a dream of planting a healthy church that would serve God’s purpose among the nations.  

One big event that sped up our transition was a terrible flood in our part of Indonesia.  I remember waking up to my wife’s scream, jumping out of bed to find that our bed was floating in water—literally floating.  The whole house was flooded, as well as our whole neighborhood.  Water was thigh-deep everywhere in our home, and everything was drenched.  My iphone was submerged in water for three hours, so I covered it in pre-cooked rice for days and prayed for healing—and it worked!  It took two days just to get the water out of the house.  When I waded through the streets, there were hundreds of dead poisonous centipedes, which makes you wonder where they were all hiding. We spent the next few days cleaning, disinfecting and salvaging what we could.  Tragically, many of my books did not survive.  Nothing was unaffected, and all of this happened on the very week we were launching worship services in Singapore.  I didn’t even have dry clothes. I flew to Singapore and bought clothes to wear on Sunday.  

There’s nothing impotent about a flood—irresistible and unrelenting is more like it.  This is the picture Jeremiah paints of God’s judgment.  It’s like a river surging over its banks at flood season, invading places that had previously been deemed secure.  But no amount of running for higher ground would reverse God’s judgment of the Philistines.  

To add to the graphic picture, Jeremiah describes not just the sights but the sounds of impending defeat.  Men will cry out; people will wail.  The earth would shake and tremble as Egypt’s chariots charged near.  The only silence would be the response to the Philistine’s cry for help.  Horrifying.  Dreadful.  Final.  

This is the bad news that’s part of the good news of the gospel: It’s NOT okay to sin before our God and Maker; we will be held accountable to God for the life that was entrusted to us; and that we must respond to Jesus’ gift of grace before it’s too late.  Because either Christ will bear the unrelenting judgment of God in your place—or you will.   

You don’t have to look too hard to see the bad news of the gospel at work in the world around us.  The reality and weight of sin is evident everywhere.  Look at the news.  Look at your fears.  Look at our reasons for conflict.  Remember today how much you need the undeserved grace of Jesus, and extend that grace to someone who needs it as well.   

Prayer: Jesus, we thank You today for the undeserved grace that we have received at the cross— that You took the dreadful judgment we deserve, so that we might receive the wonderful embrace that You deserve from the Father.   Help us to live in light of this grace today and share its wonders with those around us.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 8

Lunch Break Study  

Read John 16:7-11:  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.

Before His death, Jesus teaches the disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit.  

Questions to Consider 

  • What are we told in these verses about the work of the Holy Spirit?   
  • Why does Jesus say it’s better for Him to leave so the Holy Spirit might come?  
  • Is there a person who needs the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit in their life?  Pray for them.

Notes

  • The Holy Spirit convicts the world about our common need for forgiveness (especially the sin of not believing in Jesus) and Jesus’ identity as victorious Savior (going to the Father, the Ascension) demonstrates that He fulfilled the will of God.  That’s righteousness.  And Satan’s decisive defeat and ultimate judgment demonstrates Christ’s victory.  It’s the Holy Spirit who brings these truths to bear on the souls of men.  
  • Because the Holy Spirit is with us and dwells within us (Jn 14:16-17).  He teaches us and impresses Jesus’ words to our hearts (Jn 14:26-27).  He’s NOT silent, He speaks and declares God’s truth to us (Jn 16:13-15).
  • Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Our cultural moment usually prioritizes the immediate over the eternal; getting results over building character; a good quarter above and beyond a good life.  In what areas of your life do you feel this tension?  Do you find yourself lost in the rush to achieve short-term goals?  Ask God to give you a vision for the eternal investments He is calling you to make.  

December 16, Monday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 21, 2018, is provided by Joshua Chzen. Joshua has been leading worship at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, California, for many years. He and his wife, Sandra, were married in 2017.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Self-Less Love”

Ephesians 5:22-27

“Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

My wife Sandra and I celebrated our first anniversary last month. Upon reflecting on the past year, I thought I had been doing my best to love my wife. I would go out of my way to take care of chores and errands knowing that my schedule had more flexibility than hers. I learned to adjust my expectations of my wife considering her busy season of balancing ministry, school and work. The past year has been fun, but not without struggles and disagreements—much of which stemming from my self-centeredness.   

Christ’s love is selfless. Not once did he struggle to consider the needs of those whom God called into His service. He gave himself up completely so that his church could be redeemed into something radiant, holy and righteous. It was with a complete regard for the well-being of his people that Jesus completely disregarded his own well-being, suffering and dying on the cross. In this passage, Paul calls on the married men in the Ephesian church to love their wives in that same way—to love those God has called them to love, with complete selflessness, so that they might be built up in holiness and righteousness. 

I thought I had been doing a good job of loving my wife; nevertheless, being married for a year has revealed to me how natural it is for me to consider my needs first. Even though I’ve grown in my tendency to think about my wife’s perspective, desires and needs, I’m still infinitely far away from the bar of selfless love that Jesus sets. It’s only through being filled with that love, through the Holy Spirit, that I can hope to do an adequate job of giving that same love to my wife.

Although Paul directs this passage at husbands and wives specifically, we know that as Christians our call is to extend this Christlike love to everyone around us (Matt. 22:39), even our enemies (Luke 6:27). There are likely people we’ll be seeing during the Christmas season who we know we’re supposed to love. We may feel like we’re doing an adequate job of loving them already. Or we may not want to love them at all. Regardless, let’s take the time to ask for the love of Christ to fill us and the Holy Spirit to transform us, so that the conversations, interactions, and thoughts we have will radiate the love of Christ to our friends and family (as well as neighbors and enemies!).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the selfless love you demonstrated when you gave yourself up completely for our sins. Sometimes I take that love for granted, but I pray that you would remind me specifically of the people in my life I know you’ve called me to give that same love to. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and change my heart so that I can demonstrate that same selfless love. In Jesus name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 7

Lunch Break Study

Read John 15:9-17 (NIV): “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does Jesus say about keeping his commands?
  2. What is Jesus’ command?
  3. Whose love does Jesus demonstrate?

Notes

  1. If we keep Jesus’ commands, not only will we remain in his love, but he will call us friends instead of servants.
  2. Jesus’ command is to love each other, which he reiterates twice in this passage. He gives more details the first time: we are to love each other as he loved us, exemplified in laying down one’s life for one’s friends.
  3. Jesus himself refers to being loved by the Father as his model for loving us. Ultimately, in demonstrating the love of Christ, we also demonstrate the love of the Father.

Evening Reflection

Ask God who (specifically) He’s challenging you to love during this Christmas season. Spend some time reflecting on your heart toward this person and pray that the Holy Spirit would fill your heart with more of the love of Christ to soften, restore, and radiate this same love.

December 15, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on December 17, 2017, is provided by Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a longtime member of the Church of Southland, is a high school teacher. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Flower of Hope”

Psalm 62:5

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my Hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” 

There are times when everything looks very grim to me—so withered and dead that I have to remind myself what the garden looked like during the peak seasons.  In the winter, we see very little growth, but to have a thriving garden in the spring and summer, it is necessary to wait with hope. When we see no bud of growth, we trust knowing what it will become, for a garden is built from hope. This empty lot of soil will be full of blue Hyacinth and yellow Ranunculus in the Spring, and in the warm summer, full of heirloom tomatoes and crisp cucumbers. In my waiting, that is what I hope for. 

There is a delicate flower that grows in late winter snow at the first sign of spring. They are called Snowdrops for they look as though they are shaking off drops of snow from small bright green stems. Did you know that many types of Spring flowers need to encounter cold months and frost in order to bloom in Spring? Planting bulbs such as hyacinth and tulip may look silly to others because we plant hundreds of them below the soil and for months, we go out to the patch of dirt, waiting and hoping for the first pop of green to emerge from a sea of brown. 

In a similar way, there are times in difficult seasons of our lives that we must “trust also in Him; [for] He shall bring it to pass” (Ps. 37:5).  Hope implies that in spite of all the difficulties, in the face of death and grim seasons, we trust and believe that we will, in time, encounter renewal and abundance again. The ground will break open, the scenery will change, and the end result will be full of God’s love and peace for us.  Yes, “the hope of the righteous shall be gladness” (Prov. 10:28a).

Prayer: Dear LORD, You have made even waiting beautiful and patience so sweet. You teach me that Your grace and Your plans are good. Give me strength to wait in hope-to look at my reality with peace and trust even when there are no flowers in bloom. Even when my joy seems to be buried deep, give me the strength to walk with You even in the darkest night and say, “In You, LORD, I can hope in the waiting.” In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 6

December 14, Saturday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 16, 2017, is provided by Claudia Robbie, who has been a longtime staff at JCA in Atlanta. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“What Sin Really Does to Us”

1 Peter 5:10

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 

We are still facing the old power structures of the past—of powerful men using their positions to manipulate those who are vulnerable to do their bidding. This has been a story that has been perpetuated from generation to generation. It is the story of sin.  

Sin hurts people in ways that reach so deep that it hollows out the soul. God does not want us to suffer alone, because in that vacuum the enemy accuses and distorts everything. The enemy wants to leave everyone so debilitated that the thought of reaching for God would not happen. The enemy goes after those victimized and those who are carrying out the actions. 

An anger born out of helplessness. A need to be the center of attention born out of feeling worthless and ashamed. A belligerent voice born out of silence. A need for affirmation born out of being ignored. Who can bridge these things? Who can restore such deep seated beliefs and behaviors in a woman who had learned in childhood these things and truly believed these were personality flaws that would be the thorn in her side forever. Only God could cross that gap and reach her, telling her that her personality is one that only He can set and create. These flaws were not flaws but traits that had been warped and changed because of the horrific actions and sinful desires of one man. These “flaws” were a result of one girl trying the best she could to absorb this trauma.

God would restore these things so she could live in the fullness of who He created her to be. He would overcome her fears of intimacy and address her need for affirmation so that she could enter into marriage healed enough to enjoy the fullness of what marriage could be. He would use the ensuing years to temper her words and her anger into something that could be used to bring Him glory and restoration to those around her. Instead of speaking all the time in order to gain her worth, she would rest and listen for His leading and prompting because she finally knew her worth. In the days and times when she would forget all that she had learned and experienced in this restoration, He would gently remind her of how much she was loved and the dreams He had for her.

PRAYER: Father, as daughters of the living God, would You help us to find our worth and restoration in You alone. In our journey would You use our voice to restore those around us and change this world. As sons of the most High, would we aim to honor and protect those around us, seeking to live reflective of Christ’s strength and surrender. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 4-5

December 13, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 2, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.  David is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Don’t Waste Your Life”

Matthew 25:14-30 

 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.[e] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Recently, I read the autobiography of Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. In the book he talks about the early days of Apple and how it got all started.  Now, once Jobs and his friend Steve Wozniak decided to start this revolutionary company in 1976, they realized quickly that they had no money. So, to generate about $1,300 to get going, Jobs sold his Volkswagen and Steve Wozniak sold his HP calculator—their most valued possessions. So this is how they were able to make their first Apple computer. In other words, these two young dreamers took everything they had and leveraged it to make their vision come to reality.  The rest as we all know is history.  Today, it’s estimated that Apple is about 1 trillion dollars.  This story is a great example of a great sacrifice and investment, which resulted in a great return. 

In today’s parable, we read about two men who made great investments and received a great reward in return; but we also see a man who made no effort to invest, and as a result, was punished for his laziness.  The point Jesus is making is this:  God has given us resources, talents and abilities to leverage and invest for His kingdom and for His purposes.  What are we doing with them?

Back then a talent was worth an extraordinary amount of money, and Jesus, the landowner in the story, gave talents to his servants according to their abilities.  Today, I believe that the talents Jesus has entrusted us with goes beyond money.  It could be our abilities, opportunities and responsibilities such as our education, careers, families, possessions and our money.  

Here are a few lessons we can apply from this passage:

  • What has been placed in our hands belongs to the Master: This means everything we have is on loan from God.  Our talents, abilities and possessions are to be used for the Master’s work and not ours.  We are merely stewards and not owners.
  • There are consequences for not leveraging what God has given to us: Notice that the last servant was called wicked and slothful.  He simply had no interest in the Master’s business.  I believe that when you look at this story closely, this man really never knew Jesus the Master, for he bore absolutely no fruits—a possessor of dead faith (James 2:24-26).  That could be the reason an allusion to hell is made here— “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.  The result of knowing Jesus is that we diligently go to work and invest our talents for Him, that is, bear fruits (Matt. 7:17-18). 
  • When we use what is given to us, we will be rewarded:  We will all have to give an account before Jesus and the greatest reward we can receive is to hear these words, “Well done good and faithful servant”.  Let’s live in such a way where we will hear those words when we see Him.  

So, the question for us today is this: If Jesus returns today, would he be pleased with your investment of your time, your talent, and treasure that he has entrusted to your stewardship?

Prayer:  Lord, may we long to here those words “Well done good and faithful servant.”  May we leverage our lives for the Master’s business and keep us faithful till the end. Amen!

Bible Reading: Luke 3

Lunch Break Study

Read James 4:13-16: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 

Questions to Consider

  1. What’s the main point James wants to get across to his readers?
  2. How should we view at our lives from what the passage says?
  3. What do you think it means to live the life of “if the Lord wills”?

Notes

  1. We are not in control of our own lives and if we think we are—we are being prideful.  To think, “I am the ruler of my life, I am the king of my own life, I will be sovereign in my own life” means that we are being arrogant in the eyes of God.  
  2. We should view our own lives with humility, knowing that God is in control and He determines how long we have on this earth.  Our lives are just like a mist—here one minute and gone the next.  It should lead us to a state of surrender, knowing that every detail of our lives are under His sovereignty.  
  3. It means to have God in the picture in every facet of our lives.  Our decisions and choices should always have God at the center, knowing it is ultimately up to the Lord if our plans come to fruition.  

Evening Reflection

Take some time reflecting on the passages you read today.  What challenged you? Ask the Lord to search your heart and make specific applications to live out.  

December 12, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, first posted on December 17, 2018, is written by Jin Ha Lee. Jin, a graduate of Drexel University, had served at Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia for many years.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Holding onto Jesus”

1 Peter 1:3-7

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

As the year comes to an end, it’s a great time to reflect on the Lord. For some, it’s been a great year of spiritual growth, while for others, it’s been a slow or even discouraging year—in every case, all of our faith has been tested in some way. But what’s most likely been tested isn’t something vague about God, but very simple, clear, and powerful truths: “Does God really care about me? Is He really faithful to take care of my family? Is God’s presence really with me?”

Several years ago, I was studying for a licensing exam: I went to work, came home, ate dinner, and then studied. Rinse and repeat. Day after day. It felt so monotonous. During this time, I was also serving at our church. Remembering Matthew 6:33, I believed that if I sought God’s kingdom first, He would take care of the rest—meaning, He would allow me to pass the licensing exam. But behold, after months of studying I did not pass! 

When I looked up that dreadful test result, I brushed it off at first; but as time passed, different thoughts and feelings crept in. At the heart of it, I honestly felt disappointed and almost embarrassed that I trusted in God’s promise in Matthew 6:33. Seeking God’s kingdom first didn’t mean that everything I want will fall into place. But I really wanted to pass that exam and I felt that I was doing my best to seek His kingdom first. Through this experience, I learned that I need to seek Him first and that His provisions are exactly what I need.

For the recipients of Peter’s letter, they faced intense persecution. However, Peter reminded them to hold onto the hope they had in Jesus. With faith, they were called to hold onto an imperishable heavenly inheritance when their earthly possessions were taken away.

We are called to hold onto Jesus. Growing is not just learning new things about Him, but it includes holding onto what we already know about Him. Through trials, His promises go from words we simply know, to words we live by. It will all be worth it as one day, the tested genuineness of our faith “may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ”!

Prayer: Thank You Lord for both good and trying circumstances in my life. While I covet the good times, I also know that it is through difficult and hard times that I am reminded of my weakness and the need to truly depend on You. “In wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2).

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 3:16-19:“. . . that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” 

Question to Consider

  1. What does Paul desire for the Ephesian church?
  2. What is one result of being strengthened by the Holy Spirit?
  3. How does this passage encourage you to hold onto Him?

Note

  1. He desires the Ephesian church to be strengthened through the Holy Spirit
  2. Being strengthened through the Holy Spirit gives us strength to understand with our brothers and sisters the greatness of His love.
  3. Personal response. For me, His love is my comfort in trials. There is so much more to His love than what I know now. Holding onto Jesus isn’t about the strength of my grip; it’s about being rooted, grounded, and strengthened through the Holy Spirit in His incredible love!
     

Evening Reflection

How have you been holding onto Jesus and abiding in Him? Let’s pray for times of great rest in Him the rest of this year. Let’s pray that God would use us and the brothers and sisters around us to encourage one another.

December 11, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 12, 2018, is provided by Phillip Chen who is associate pastor at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego. Phil is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Beyond Our Imagination”

Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[c] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

I recently decided to restudy Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby for my own personal realignment. One major theme that the author tries to get across is that after seeing where God is working, we need to join in with what He is doing. Blackaby points out that our best effort does not even come close to what God can do; in fact, it would be naïve to think that we are able to dictate our future. Sure, we might be able to control a few factors in our lives, but the truth is that millions of variables are completely out of our control. For instance, consider the following factors that we don’t control: who our parents are and what they are like, our upbringing, the neighborhood in which we grow up, the education opportunities we have, the health factors, even the political landscape of the area where we live. All this to say: We may want to do many things, but ultimately, it is God who is able to do far more in and through our lives than we are able to imagine.

Paul continues with this letter by letting the church know that it is our Father in heaven who strengthens and sustains us, and He is the one who actually shows us the fullness of the love of Christ. Paul may be the one teaching and instructing, but ultimately, he prays on behalf of the Ephesian believers that God would help them to understand this glorious love. No doubt Paul is a great apostle, but, as a mere man, he can only take them so far; it is God who is going to reveal the fullness of His presence and His love to the church. Paul knows this, and therefore, he is confident that the church in God’s hand will prevail. 

When you think about the struggles in your life, are you quick to pray and bring it into God’s hands? Or are you quick to turn to others for advice? Do you acknowledge God’s presence and His activity, or are you trying to make things right by yourself? May this passage serve as a reminder that we have a God who is able to do far more than we can think or do, and may it cause us to draw near to Him, especially in times of struggle, so that we may remain in His perfect peace and love.

Prayer: Father God, I want to know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge. Though I am quick to take matters into my own hands, help me to be one that trusts that You are a God who is able to do far more than I could ever imagine. Give me the faith to live out my life with that understanding. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 81:10-12 (ESV): “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. 11 But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me. 12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.”

Question to Consider

1. What did the Lord do for Israel in the past? What was He promising to do for them now?

2. How did Israel respond to the Lord’s offer of granting them great favors?

3. What was the consequences of Israel’s response?

Notes

1. God already had miraculously led the Israelites out of Egypt without their help. Not only that, the LORD allowed Israel to plunder the Egyptians on their way out to enrich them. Moreover, God promises to continue to bless them, filling their mouths and providing for them.   

2. Inexplicably, Israel refused to listen to God’s voice and would not submit to His leadership.  That’s human nature—we quickly forget all that God has done for us.   

3. God gave them over to their stubborn hearts, and as they followed their own counsels, we see how it led to aimless wandering and death in the wilderness.

Evening Reflection

What is one thing you innately believe you can do by your own strength? Perhaps it is dealing with your finances, or maybe it’s a relationship in your life that you need to give up to God. Whatever it is, surrender it to the Lord and trust that He can do far better with it than you can by yourself. 

December 10, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 18, 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

“Fasting That Produces Hope”

Luke 2:36-38 

And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary brought their child Jesus to Jerusalem to fulfill the required offering to the Lord, Anna, the prophetess, recognized the significance of this child, and perceived that he was central to the redemption of Jerusalem. Having been at the right place in the temple at the right time, and without any former announcement to her, Anna was under God’s divine orchestration to witness the arrival of the Messiah in the child, Jesus Christ. Thus, she praised God and shared about the child to those around her. 

Whenever I read through the Gospel of Luke, I am always amazed at these few verses, and how three sentences speak volumes about Anna’s character and focus. As a person who faced heartache and loss, she didn’t live a life of regret; instead, she looked forward to God’s promises and lived richly in hope. In this short passage, we can see Anna’s single-minded devotion to the Lord in her many years of widowhood. Fasting and prayer had been a regular focus. The beginning of her fasting may have stemmed from facing the loss of her spouse and navigating the path of widowhood. It may have been an act of mourning and the pouring out of her soul to God. However, it didn’t end in her own life circumstances, but her expression of piety through fasting and prayer was larger than herself. It was a way of accessing hope and practicing patient waiting for Israel’s salvation. Considering that meals were of social significance in her time and culture, regular fasting meant a departure from the norms, a way of asserting that something is not yet complete and to hope in God to bring about His redemption. 

The end of the year involves busyness, travel, holiday gatherings or much needed rest. While there are many praises to be sung, some of us may sense unease as we look back in 2018, and recognize goals that were not met, unfinished business, or expectation that ended in disappointment. This morning, allow God’s Word to invite you to access hope again in the Lord through setting apart time to pray and increments of time (or days) to fast. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13).

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You that You are the God of hope and You are the lifter of my head. Guide me to look at my circumstances through the eye of faith and renew my strength to wait upon You to reveal Your good and perfect plans. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Leviticus 27

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 9:14-15: Then the disciples of John came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The attendants of the bridegroom cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Questions to Consider

1. Why did the disciples of John approach Jesus with this question about fasting?

2. Who is the bridegroom and who are the attendants?

3. What is Jesus implying in his response? What does Jesus expect of His disciples?

Notes

1. During that time, a teacher (or rabbi) was responsible for the disciplines of his disciples. Religious groups such as the Pharisees commonly fasted twice a week, though the Law only required the Jews to fast on the Day of Atonement. The disciples of John were probably sincerely curious as to why Jesus, being a teacher, seemed to avoid this spiritual practice altogether for His disciples.

2. Jesus is referring to an analogy that He is the bridegroom, the attendants are His disciples, and the wedding feast (celebration) is the present time in which He has arrived as the Messiah.

3. Wedding feasts in the Jewish culture lasted several days, and it was crucial as part of the culture for rabbis to pause their instruction and acts of mourning to observe with joy the bridal processions. Jesus is defining the appropriateness of fasting for His disciples. Before He came, and after He is “taken away,” it is appropriate and expected to fast and devote time to prayer and waiting, but while He is with His disciples, He expects His disciples to take joy at the presence of the bridegroom. 

Evening Reflection

Reflect on Isaiah 40:31: “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Tonight, as you reflect on God’s promise for those who wait patiently, write out or say a prayer expressing your desire for God’s answer to your hopes. Consider how you may position yourself to wait upon God with patience that honors Him and expect Him to reveal Himself to you in ways greater than you imagined.