REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 24, 2017, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for the Eve of Christmas

“They Came”

Luke 2:8-12

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Good morning!  Since it is Christmas Eve, I thought I’d break from our Genesis study to give us a little Christmas devotional.  But a little warning—this might seem like a series of random thoughts, but it’ll come together in the end. 

I think we are all familiar with the term FOMO (fear of missing out).  I have the opposite problem: At my old church, people would often make a joke that I had JOMO (joy of missing out), because I never wanted to go anywhere or do anything.  I never feared missing out on something potentially amazing, because I’m not easily awed, and I’d probably be more content having a relaxing evening at home—I know, it’s like I’m 70 already!   

As I was writing this morning’s devotional, I asked my wife why, of all the people in Bethlehem, God would choose to tell these shepherds about the birth of his Son.  My wife jokingly commented that this is what God told the shepherds: “Hey, you guys with the sheep, you don’t seem so busy, so why don’t you go visit that manger over there—there is something cool inside.”  But it got me thinking…perhaps my wife was on to something.  Perhaps, the reason God invited these shepherds is that He knew they would actually come and celebrate the birth of His Son.  As I thought about it more, I wondered if I would have come.  I’d like to believe that if angels came and lit up the sky, I’d be prone to listen to them.  But at the same time, my JOMO might start to kick in, or I’d be like, I’m already in my pajamas, I’m settled for the night.  Perhaps I would have missed out.  

Before I had kids, I wondered why in the world parents would want visitors right after their new baby was born.  I mean, come on, mom just gave birth: she’s tired, hasn’t really cleaned herself up, they are just learning to take care of this new life, etc. So why would you want guests?  But after having kids, I realized how proud parents are to show off their new baby—to any and everyone who would want to come.  Now, visiting newborns is one of my favorite aspects of being a pastor; I love blessing the baby and the new parents.  And most of the times, the parents are so thankful to have me come by—you can see the excitement as they show off their new child. Perhaps the reason God invited the shepherds that evening is because He wanted to share His Son and His joy with them, knowing that they would not turn down His invitation.  As we head into Christmas (and really all of Christian life), do you see how God invites you to share His Son and His joy with you?  Let’s thankfully accept this invitation and not miss out on what God has for us!  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son into the world to save us.  Thank You that You also want to share Your joy with us.  Help me to see and respond to Your invitation, so that I can share in Your joy and Your presence.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Luke 2

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Lunch Break Study

(By Kate Moon—first posted on 12.24.14)

Read Luke 2:15-18: “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ 16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

Questions to Consider

1. After hearing the angel’s message, what did the shepherds want to do (v. 15)? 

2. What happened when they got to Bethlehem (v. 16)? 

3. What did they do afterwards (v. 17)? Why do you think they did this?  From where do get our motivation to share the good news?

Notes

1. They wanted to see for themselves what had happened.

2. When they saw Mary, Joseph and the baby, they experienced for themselves the truth of the message from God, and they could believe their Messiah had truly come into the world.

3. They spread the word.  They did this because of what they had heard but also experienced; they believed that this was truly good news.  We are most motivated to share when we have experienced the truth of God’s message for ourselves and really come to believe it is good news. 

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Evening Reflection

Did I have a tangible, personal experience of God and the truth of his word today?  Who will I tell

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on November 12, 2018.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“The God Who Hears”

Exodus 2:23-25 (NET)

During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning, God remembered God’s covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, 25 God saw the Israelites, and God understood….

There’s an old story around the origins of the hymn “Amazing Grace.” The song is credited to John Newton, Anglican clergyman and slave ship captain (yea, let that sink in for a moment). As the story goes, while at sea, Newton awoke to a storm that threatened certain death. He called out to God, the storm ceased, and thus began Newton’s conversion to Christianity (after which, he continued to traffic Africans in slave ships… just to be clear). This experience marked the pinning of the famous hymn. 

But there is a parallel story in the Black Church Imagination. “Amazing Grace” is unique because, although the words are likely Newtons, the melody is unlike other hymns—it’s African, written in the pentatonic scale (the same scale in which African-American Spirituals are written (if you don’t know what African-American Spirituals are, look them up!). And so the story goes, in the womb of that same ship, were the Africans, groaning under the weight of captivity. And, it was because of their groaning that God quieted heaven, silenced the storm, to hear them. The words may be Newton’s, but the melody was theirs. 

As a Black American woman well acquainted with the marginalizing effects the racist and patriarchal history (and present) of the Church, I remember this quote from a foremother in the faith (the late great Dr. Katie G. Cannon): “I wanted to know about a God who would treat [people like me] so terribly… And the liberation to me was knowing that it was a sin [for] anyone to depreciate the image of God that’s in me.”

There are moments in history and in my life that cause me to scream, “Where are you, God!?” in anger and frustration, in oppression and loneliness, in apparent abandonment, in injustice and hurt all kinds. But it’s stories like the one above and in our passage for today, that remind me that even when I don’t understand God’s ways, I know exactly where God is when I’m hurting and in trouble: God is near. Although I am yet to receive answers to many of my “why” questions, I have received answers to the critical “who” question—I know who God is. God is One who hears, sees, and is with us—even when we find ourselves in the womb of the ship. 

Take heart! “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Prayer: Almighty God, I declare in faith today that You are mindful of me. You care for and tend to me no matter what circumstances suggest. Even in the darkest valley You are with me. In the face of any present and future struggles in my life, may I take comfort in knowing You are near. For the people in my life and those around the world who are held captive in various ways, please make Yourself known to them today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 15

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Lunch Break Study

Read Jonah 1:12-2:10 (NIV): Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ 5 The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” 10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Question to Consider

1. From what you already know of the story of Jonah, how did he end up in the situation in the verses above? (See also Jonah 1:1-4, 14-15) 
2. Why does God send a fish to swallow Jonah? 
3. What does Jonah do in the fish? What is the end result? 
4. Spend a few moments reading Jonah’s prayer (vv.2-9). What parts stand out most for you? Why? Spend time reflecting on this with the Lord. 

Notes

1. Jonah was disobedient to God (albeit with good reason). God called Jonah to go and prophesy (a negative prophesy of damnation and destruction) to violent and racists enemies of the people of God, the Ninevites. Jonah, understandably, did not want to go. So he was disobedient and went the other way. God had a plan to bring Nineveh to repentance, but Jonah didn’t want any part of it. 
2. It’s easy to think the fish was punishment, when in fact it was protection. God protected Jonah from death by sending a fish. Otherwise, Jonah would have drowned. Oftentimes the very things that feel like punishment from the Lord, are God’s protection of us. 
3. Jonah prays. Jonah’s prayer requires repentance because he’s running away from God, but the points is that he turns to God, leans into God, and prays. The end result is that Jonah is released from the fish onto dry ground. Jonah is free. But not just from the fish, but from a path of disobedience. Jonah’s heart begins (and I say begins because the following chapters reveal that he still has a long way to go) to be changed. 
4. Spend time in personal reflection. 

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Evening Reflection

If you didn’t do the lunch break study today… go back and read the passage.

My favorite part of Jonah’s story is one that can only be seen in the Hebrew version of the text. The fish is described differently in 1:17 and 2:1. In the first instance, it’s male. And in the second instance it’s female. Why the difference? Did the writer make a mistake? Furthermore, the word for “belly” or “inside” of the fish can mean two things – stomach (where things are devoured) or womb (where things are nurtured). Context determines the meaning. I think (and others agree) that God is teaching us something about suffering. Whether it’s the inside of a fish (where Jonah found himself because of his sin) or the inside of a slave ship (where the Africans found themselves because of the sins of others), the very situations that should mean our devouring, God can turn into something altogether different and birth in us something amazing when we lean into God. I do not say this lightly, suffering is real and far from easy. But in all things, God is at work for good and for glory (Romans 8:23).

Spend time reflecting on the ideas above with the Lord. Are there situations in which you’ve found yourself that threatened to destroy you? Have you experienced God using those very situations to birth good in you? Spend time thanking God. Are you in a situation like that right now? Pray for God’s presence and deliverance.  

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on October 27, 2017.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Beyond the Fifth Year of Marriage, It’s the Husband’s Fault!”

Genesis 16:5-11

Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” 6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” 11 The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.

In one of his books, author Gary Smalley says, “If a couple has been married for more than five years, any persistent disharmony in their marriage is usually attributable to the husband’s lack of understanding and applying genuine love.” He adds, “After five years of marriage if a husband has failed to understand or seek help for the major causes of disharmony, either he doesn’t understand what genuine love is, or has chosen to ignore God’s command to shepherd his family wisely.” In other words, initially, the wife can be responding and acting out of the way she was raised, but after some period of time, she is responding to how her husband treats her.

Abram and Sarai have been married a long time by now. After Hagar conceives, Sarai says, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me” (Genesis 16:5). She is essentially saying, “Why did you listen to me? Why didn’t you stop me?” In some respects, she is right. Abram should have known better. He is the leader in the home. He is the one who is hearing from God and following him. He knew deep down that God intended to bear a child through Sarai, not Hagar. But he didn’t stop his wife from making a horrible mistake. 

This is strangely reminiscent of Adam and Eve: Eve may have eaten of the forbidden fruit first, but Adam was not helplessly standing by, unable to lead Eve. Likewise, Sarai did tempt Abram to this sin, but it was Abram who failed to lead his wife. Both are at fault, of course, but Abram’s failure to lead his wife prove to be disastrous, one in which humanity would have a difficult time recovering from, even now. 

When sin comes knocking on our doors, we are capable of not opening that door. The Holy Spirit who lives in us gives us power to overcome sin. We are told by the apostle Paul, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). 

And when we give into sin—whether it be lust, anger, or greed—we must not blame the tempter or the situation. Rather, we must own up to the sins we commit. We must stop blaming our bosses, our parents, our colleagues, our spouses, our kids, our roommates, and everyone else for the sins that we commit. Let us own up to our failures and turn them into acts of repentance. The Good News of Jesus Christ is that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This is the path of freedom the Lord intends for us. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You for your Son’s blood. By His blood, and not by my deeds or misdeeds, I am made righteous this day!  Amen.

Bible Reading for today: Luke 14

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on December 12, 2017, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“God Remembers”

Genesis 30: 22 

“Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb.”

Christmas, which is, of course, the day we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord and Savior, is only two days away.  For most families, this is a time to enjoy one another, and for most children, it’s a day when many wishes become reality.  In our household—at least for one four-year-old— Christmas is going to be a day of reckoning, and perhaps utter disappointment.  You see, about six months ago, whenever we’d go out on errands to places like Target, my youngest son Jon would find junk that interested him and would ask us to buy it for him.  Now a good parent would simply say no, and deal with the ensuing tantrum until the child has learned not to react so childishly.  However, my wife and I aren’t always good parents, so instead of just saying no, we’ve developed the habit of saying, “Maybe we’ll get that for your birthday or Christmas.”  After a few times, Jon’s picked up on this and just asks at stores, “Can we get this for my next birthday or Christmas?”

As Christmas approaches, a small part of me is a little nervous that after all the presents are opened, Jon will look at me and my wife and say something like, “Dude, you forgot the battery-operated Captain America fan that comes with a tube of M&Ms that we saw at Cracker Barrel!  Remember, you said you were gonna get that for me for Christmas!”  You see, we were kind of banking that Jon wouldn’t remember all or any of his inane requests over the last six months.  But what if he does?  Christmas would be ruined!!! (Are you sensing my sarcasm?)  

For people, memory can be a funny and torturous thing: Things we want to forget are often blazed into the center of our psyche, while things we desperately want to remember, we can’t help but to forget.  Sometimes memory can be used to hold us hostage (like if Jon remembers anything) or bring relief (like if he forgets).  Then there is God, who only chooses to “forget” things like our transgressions, and remembers everything—from our fleeting whims to our deepest desires.  Do you think Rachel, after watching 10 sons be born to her husband by three different women, had lost all hope for having her own children?  Do you think she felt forgotten by God?  What happened?  God remembered her deepest longing, and when the time was right, gave her Joseph.  Are there times you feel forgotten by God?  Don’t fret—God always remembers.  Have the courage to hope in your compassionate and loving Heavenly Father!  

Prayer: Lord, I’ve been praying for ________ for ______ years.  Remind me that You are a God who never forgets.  You have numbered every hair on my head.  Help me this day to trust in Your goodness, love, and compassion again.  Give me courage to wait on Your plan and serenity to accept it, no matter what.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 12-13

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on October 19, 2018.  Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“ The Foundation for our Identity”

Jeremiah 46:18-19 

“As I live, declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea, shall one come. 19 Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O inhabitants of Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant.”

In today’s passage, we continue in Jeremiah’s pronouncement of Egypt’s impending doom. It seems that throughout the history of Egypt, the Egyptians had always seen themselves as the super power of the world—towering over other nations as they showed their might in various ways. This was their national identity. However, Jeremiah declares that another empire will come and tower over them, eventually bringing them into exile—this nation we come to know as Babylonia that took the place of Egypt as the most powerful empire in the world. It seems that no matter how powerful you are, it is only a matter of time before someone bigger towers over you. 

Many of us build our identity on being the best (or simply really good) at something, whether it’s career success, the amount of money we have, or the skills we possess. For this reason, our sense of value and worth is directly tied to these things. And this leads to two destructive paths. If, on the one hand, we really are the wealthiest or the most skilled, it will likely lead to pride. We will see ourselves as better than others who are not as successful or wealthy. But, on the other hand, if we fail or if someone is more successful than we are (and there will always be someone who is better or more successful than you), our self-worth is crushed. We no longer feel significant and this is very fragile ground to stand on. Our sense of identity will fluctuate depending on these unstable factors. 

The gospel provides the firm foundation upon which we must build our identity. We find value not in what we’ve accomplished or the skills we possess but in what Christ Jesus has done for us on the cross. And this is unshakable ground. When we succeed, we are not puffed up with conceit but rather humbled knowing that we are sinners who have been saved by grace—that even the skills and circumstances necessary for success were not due to our own doing but simply a manifestation of God’s mercy in our lives. And even when we fail, we know that we are still loved and valued by the Father because of Christ’s righteousness imputed on us and not our own. Let us build our identity on the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is our firm foundation! 

Prayer: Father, it is so easy to find my identity and value in my performance and success. Instead, help me to build my identity on the firm foundation of the gospel. Help me to not only know the gospel in my mind, but for my heart to fully embrace the truths of the gospel into the depths of my identity. 

Bible Reading for Today: Luke 11

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Lunch Break Study 

Read Colossians 3:1-3: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Questions to Consider

1. What is Paul’s main command in this passage? 
2. What do you think it means to “set your minds on things that are above?” 
3. In what ways have you set your mind on things below? 

Notes

1. Paul wants them to seek and set their minds on the things above. This is because anyone who truly believes the gospel has died to their own self, and has been raised with Christ into a new identity, a new self. 
2. Since we have been saved and raised with Christ, we ought to deliberately commit ourselves to the values of the kingdom of God and then live out those values, including how we see ourselves. We have been called to put off our own (i.e., old) self, where our identity was built on things of this world leading to much sin. We are to put on our new self by living out our newly given identity we have found in the gospel. 
3. Personal response

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Evening Reflection 

Take some time before going to bed reflecting on the base upon which you have built your identity. How do you find value, significance and worth? Ask God to help you to find your identity in Christ alone! 

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

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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.

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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

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

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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.

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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.

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.  

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

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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.

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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.

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. 10:28^a).

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