REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on August 20, 2017, is provided by Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a long-time member of the Church of Southland, is a high school teacher.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Peace in the Midst of Coldness of Life”
John 16:32-3
Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
The coldest and darkest night I experienced was on a mountain in Peru. My sister and I had nearly completed our three-day trek on foot and we stopped to rest for the evening. Each night, our team of hungry and weary travelers met in the communal tent and we listened for our trail leader to update us on the weather and such. We huddled together around a small lamp as he would encourage us, “Claro, claro, we will arrive in time to see the view at sunrise. It is very beautiful. Yes, there will be small train ride.”
He was right about the view—it was beautiful. Although I came to see the ancient ruins, I was more captivated by the sunrise. Light broke over the mountains, blanketing us with intense warmth and with it came these word of Jesus: “Take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
God’s peace arrives so much like this, doesn’t it? Our current circumstances may be at a steep incline met by chilling winds but we can fully rest knowing that our loving God is with us. Joy and peace of God is not found in our comfort but rather found most intensely in the midst of cold and most sweetly at the height of a mountain.
Be encouraged by these assuring words of our Lord: “I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). So, receive God’s joy and peace today and experience His enduring love for you. Take heart, when God requires you to wait out the storm and soon, “your grief will turn to joy” (John 16:20). A popular song in the 90s put it like this: “There is peace in the midst of the storm-tossed life. There is an Anchor, there is a rock to build my faith upon. Jesus Christ is my vessel so I fear no alarm He gives me peace in the midst of the storm.” How precious is that peace and joy that comes from the hand of our LORD!
Prayer: LORD, how marvelous is the lightness of joy and peace You bring. There is nothing more satisfying than this. You have overcome the world and you have won every battle. Thank you, LORD, for being with me. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on October 5, 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
“What We Need to Hear”
Jeremiah 42:4
Jeremiah the prophet said to them, “I have heard you. Behold, I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request, and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you. I will keep nothing back from you.”
In the well-known fable, The Emperor’s New Clothes, two weavers dupe a vain emperor by telling him that the special clothes that they made for him is made of fabric that is so special that it looks invisible to those who are not enlightened or incompetent. And so the proud emperor puts on these “special” clothes and marches through the town. The emperor’s advisors didn’t dare say anything and neither would any of the townsfolk, except for one young child who shouted during the procession, “The emperor is not wearing any clothes!” So, of all of the people surrounding the emperor, it was a young child, who, by being honest about what he saw, turned out to be the king’s best advisor and friend. All other people, including the emperor’s advisors, either didn’t say a word or told the emperor what he wanted to hear.
If we were to list all the qualities and attributes of an ideal friend, at the top of our lists would be things like fun, loyal, and supportive. One quality that probably wouldn’t be on the lists is brutal honesty. We all want our friends to be supportive of us, but we don’t really look forward to our friends telling us things that we don’t want to hear. But the truth is that sometimes the best thing our friends can do is to tell us the difficult and uncomfortable truth about ourselves.
Jeremiah the prophet tells the people of Israel that, “I will keep nothing back from you” with regards to what the Lord had to say to them. Jeremiah was being a good friend and shepherd to the Israelites because he loved them enough to tell them not what they wanted to hear, but what they needed to hear—the truth from God Himself.
We all need Jeremiahs and people like that young child in our lives. Like the emperor in the story, we are prone to vanity and pride. Like the emperor, we’d rather surround ourselves with people who flatter us or tell us what we want to hear. Unlike the emperor though, we ought to know that we need to ground ourselves into community and seek to hear even the hard truth about ourselves from our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us pray that we will be surrounded by people who love us enough to tell us not what we want to hear, but what we need to hear from the Lord.
Prayer: God, I pray that You will surround me with brothers and sisters who will care for me and love me and point me to You. Help me to be humble and to hear what You have to say to me through them. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Job 21
Lunch Break Study
Read Galatians 2:11-14:But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Questions to Consider
What was Cephas (Peter) doing wrong in this passage?
How were Paul’s actions out of love for Peter and for the church?
Would you be willing to do what Paul did? Are there people in your life who can speak to you like Paul spoke to Peter?
Notes
Peter was separating himself from the Gentiles at the church in Antioch when some Jews came to visit him. Peter, out of fear of what these Jews would think, decided to act just like what these Jews would expect by essentially discriminating and distancing himself from the Gentiles who were his brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul speaks bluntly to Peter and points out his sin, telling us that Peter and the Jews’ conduct was “not in step with the truth of the gospel.” We should also note that Paul publicly put Peter on the spot by writing about this in this book of Galatians and making an example of him to the whole church and Christians for all time. While what Paul says and does may seem harsh, it was an act of love for Peter because he was pointing Peter back to the truth of the gospel. Also, it was important to Paul to make an example of this because he loved the church and the unity of the church was at stake.
Personal response
Evening Reflection
Think about the people in your life. Are there people who can speak into your life? And is there someone whose life you should be speaking into? Pray that God will start or deepen friendships that point you to the truth.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on October 17, 2018. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“Not Self-Disclosure But ‘His’ Disclosure”
Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV)
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Science writer Robert Lee Hotz found that “talking about ourselves—whether in a personal conversation or social media— triggers the same sensation of pleasure in the brain as food or money.” In fact research showed how self-disclosure could in some cases be even be more rewarding than the latter two. In other words, even science shows how much we love talking about ourselves because we want to be known. It is no wonder that social media platforms, such as Instagram, have become so successful, because they serve as personalized galleries of our accomplishments for others to see.
And here in our passage, Jeremiah writes to this innate desire to boast about ourselves. Using life’s most common boast-worthy things—such as knowledge, power, and wealth—Jeremiah shows us that God doesn’t condemn the act of boasting itself, but rather in who or what we boast in. As the passage says, “let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me.” Many of us will spend our entire lives chasing after accomplishments, wanting to be known by others. But this must be our life’s ultimate goal: to know Him. For if there’s anything worth boasting about, it is that the Creator of the universe knows us.
The world is infatuated with things that say, “Look at me!” However, as believers we look at our lives and say, “Look at Him!”Look at Him, who gives me my true value and worth. Look at Him, who looks not at my accomplishments, but at me and loves me as I am. For this is what the Lord delights in—that we might know Him and do as He says. Spend a few moments today delighting in this truth. May our lives always point to Him.
Prayer: Father, I confess of my own spiritual blindness and disobedience. Help me to be more sensitive to Your Spirit so that I may see the warning signs in my life. Purify my heart and my desires that I may be transformed into Your likeness. Thank You for Your unending grace that saves me from my sins. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Job 20
Lunch Break Study
Read James 1:21-25: Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Questions to Consider
What does it mean for us to receive the implanted word?
How does the Word of God operate in our lives?
How has the Word of God been speaking to you? Does your life reflect it?
Notes
As believers, we have been given a new heart; and on that heart the Word of Christ is written so that we may obey it through His Spirit. Practically, James continues by addressing the problem of simply knowing the Word. Merely listening to the Word does not mean you are actually receiving it. To receive is to do what the Word of God says. Apostle John, in 1 John 2:3 and John 14:21, says that to truly know Him is to obey Him.
James provides this analogy of a man looking in the mirror. As the mirror reflects the man’s face and perhaps reveals the things he cannot see on his face, the Word of God reflects the true condition of our heart. To look at His Word and not be changed or expect it to reveal something about you, would make it useless. Those who allow God’s Word to direct their lives will live a blessed life.
Personal application.
Evening Reflection
Sometimes I wonder how certain people can pray so well. While I struggle to find words, some are able to pray like they’re reciting the most beautiful poems full of imagery and life. And for many years, I thought this marked a good or powerful prayer. But theologian Andrew Murray would argue that the power of prayer comes when our prayers are rooted in His Word. He writes, “Little of the Word with little prayer is death to the spiritual life. Much of the Word with little prayer gives a sickly life. Much prayer with little of the Word gives more life, but without steadfastness. A full measure of the Word and prayer each day gives a healthy and powerful life.” In other words, prayer cannot exist without His word present. We can pray the most elaborate prayers with the most flattering words; but if they lack truth, then they mean nothing. Spend some time this evening finding a verse that you can hold onto. Pray this Scripture until you can recite it by memory.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 13, 2018, 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 This Morning
“The Truth Hurts”
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.” 20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously and test the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you I have committed my cause.
When it comes to evangelism, there tends to be two approaches. One is the direct method, where you just ask anyone, “Do you know Jesus?” In its most extreme form, you’ll see street preachers telling passersby that they are doomed to an eternity of torture in hell. Perhaps in reaction to the aggression and negative perception of the stereotypical street preacher, the other method of “friendship evangelism” has gotten more and more popular and is how most Christians choose to “evangelize” today. Perhaps you’re familiar with this method; you basically try your best to be the most loving, most patient, most honest person on the planet (i.e. you try to be like Jesus), then you wait and pray for that eventual day when your friend will ask you why you’re so “different” from everybody else. Of course, your answer will be “Jesus,” which will open the door to a wonderful conversation about faith and the Gospel.
In theory, friendship evangelism sounds great, but in reality, it has many flaws. First, no one can sustain prolonged Christlikeness (that’s why we need a savior). Second, most people are so cynical, they don’t admire that guy who is always joyful and caring; they hate him more because he’s so annoying. But most importantly, if we’re honest, the real reason most of us “practice” friendship evangelism is that we’re a little scared of what happens when we represent Christ. We’re afraid to be labeled a close-minded “Jesus Freak”, and we’re afraid that our words will be misinterpreted as judgmental and eventually break the relationships we worked so hard to build. This a legitimate concern and an oftentimes sad outcome when sharing Christ.
If you’ve been struggling with how to share Christ with people you love, please understand that you are not alone in your struggles. The Bible and church history is full of men and women who have loved deeply, spoken truthfully, and been hated venomously. In today’s passage we see that Jeremiah was one such person. God gave him a message, albeit not a message that was easy to hear, and he delivered it. The people hated him for it and even plotted to kill him. The truth of the matter is that we as believers must understand the Gospel will not be “good news” to the majority, but we must continue to share the truth because it is the only hope people have. So this morning, if you’ve been struggling with how to share Christ, let me encourage you, it’s always going to be a struggle. Perhaps, it might not go well, but understand also that God sees, and your words do have the potential to be life-giving.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, this morning I want to pray for _____________. Let me be bold enough to share the gospel with him/her, even if it costs our relationship. Help them to see Your love for them. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Job 19
Lunch Break Study
Read Romans 10:8-15: But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of alland richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Questions to Consider
According to this passage, how is a person saved?
According to this passage, what is the believer’s role and why is it important?
Why do you suppose Paul quoted Isaiah 28:16 in vs. 11, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame?” What kind of shame was he talking about?
Notes
We are saved by confessing with our mouths that “Jesus is Lord” and believing in our hearts that God raised him from the dead. In other words, it is faith in Christ, not religion or actions.
As believers our role in the spreading of the Gospel is to preach the good news to those who have not heard (vv.14-15). This role is obviously critical because nobody can call on Jesus unless they’ve been told of him.
I don’t think Paul was talking about a day-to-day-never-feeling-ashamed-of-anything-that-anyone-has-to-say-about-us type of feeling. But ultimately, I think he was talking about an eternal feeling. One day, when we are standing with God, we’ll know that we made the right choice and stood in the truth.
Evening Reflection
Today’s theme was sharing the gospel, but more than that, it was about standing for God and doing what pleases him only. This evening, ask yourself, “Is my one desire truly to live for and please God, or do I desire other things more?” (family, popularity, comfort, money, etc.). Perhaps you live life trying to satisfy too many opinions or voices; perhaps you need to simplify and just listen to one.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 9, 2018, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“In God We Trust”
Jeremiah 43:4-7
So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people disobeyed the Lord’s command to stay in the land of Judah. 5 Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered. 6 They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women, the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah along with them. 7 So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.
In the Bible, Egypt is not just a place where God rescued the Israelites from—but it is a representation of the world. It is a place of slavery, idol worship, wickedness, and persecution. The Lord did not want the Israelites to go back to Egypt, nor did He want His people to create an alliance with them, because in doing so, the Israelites would once again be under Egypt’s spiritual and physical oppression. Simply put, Egypt represents sin, and God wants His people to stay far away from it.
In today’s passage, the Israelite leaders ignore the Lord’s warnings, and they decide to escape to Egypt . If you remember from chapter 41, this decision was made by Johanan, because he was afraid that the Chaldeans (Babylonians) might avenge the murder of their appointed governor for the land of Israel. Instead of trusting in the Lord for help, they put their trust in the great nation of Egypt. Angered by their decision, the Lord commands Jeremiah to tell the Israelites that they will fall under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.
Ever since moving to East Asia, many of my insecurities have surfaced as a leader. And through these insecurities, I’m starting to realize that I do not trust in the Lord as much as I thought I did. I find myself relying on my limited experiences, talking to mentors, and reading different leadership material. While these things maybe not seem like “Egypt,” I find myself relying on these things more than trusting in the Lord.
Trusting in the Lord is difficult for a variety of reasons: we cannot control the situation, we think we know better, or we don’t see the “results” right away. Because of these reasons we look for security in more tangible areas such as money, relationships, or ourselves. While all of these things are not bad, they can become our “Egypts,” because they distract us from our true security: Jesus.
One way that I’ve been training myself to trust in the Lord is by remembering His faithfulness in my life. When I have pockets of time, whether on the subway or walking to school, I can just think about how God has led me up to this point. Oftentimes, I fail to trust in the Lord because I forget what He has done for me in the past.
I want to encourage you to use those pockets of time—whether on your drive to school or work, or waiting while standing in line—to remember God’s faithfulness!
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness to Your people. Lord, help me to rely on You and not on our “Egypts,” for those things are temporary fixes that are fleeting, but You are forever. Help me to remember the lyrics of the hymnist Daniel B. Towner: “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way. To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” Amen.
Bible Reading For Today: Job 18
Lunch Break Study
Read Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Questions to Consider
In which two ways does Matthew encourage us not to worry about our lives? (vv. 26-27)
Who does Matthew say worry about these things? Why is this important? (v. 32)
As Christians, how do we fight this worry?
Notes
Matthew reminds us that the birds do not worry about storing food, because the Lord always provides for them. He also reminds us that flowers do not worry about the “clothes” they wear, because God provides for them. He accentuates Jesus’ teaching by saying that Solomon’s splendor does not come close to a flower’s beauty.
Matthew reminds us that pagans worry about what to eat, drink and wear. As God’s people, we have full access to the Creator of the Universe who provides for our every need; therefore, we are to be different, and one way to set ourselves apart is by not worrying.
We fight this worry by seeking God. When we make God the center of our lives, then as a loving Father, He will provide everything for us.
Evening Reflection
Before you go to bed, take a moment to reflect on one time that God has been faithful. Take a moment to write it down, and give thanks to Him. May we become intentional in trusting in Him.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on February 19, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Kwon of Journey Community Church (Raleigh). David, a graduate of Drexel University and Columbia International University (M.Div.) is married to Helen (“Pie”), and they have three beautiful daughters (Cara, Phoebe, and Ruth).
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“The God Who Never Forgets”
Genesis 47:1-6
So Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan. They are now in the land of Goshen.” 2 And from among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 Pharaoh said to his brothers, “What is your occupation?” And they said to Pharaoh, “Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were.” 4 They said to Pharaoh, “We have come to sojourn in the land, for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks, for the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. And now, please let your servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” 5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you. 6 The land of Egypt is before you. Settle your father and your brothers in the best of the land. Let them settle in the land of Goshen, and if you know any able men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”
A few years ago, I had forgotten to pick up my daughter after school. I remember that I had gotten extremely busy that day with work and meetings and I eventually forgot what time it was. Her school eventually called me and when I picked her up, she was quick to forgive me for being late, but the reality is that no one likes to be forgotten.
As we have been looking at the life of Joseph, one theme that is emphasized is that God never forgets about His people and He is faithful to keep His promises. Even when we look back to Genesis 39 when Joseph was in prison – in what looked like hopelessness and despair, it says that, “the Lord was with him.” (v.23). The Lord had never forgotten about Joseph especially when circumstances looked dark.
In today’s passage, Joseph successfully persuades Pharaoh to allow his family to settle in the land of Goshen. Because of Joseph, virtually boundless favor was extended to Jacob’s family. Unbelievably, in addition to keeping his initial promise of the best of the land, Pharaoh even offered the brothers employment as superintendents of the royal cattle. God’s hand and favor was continually on Joseph.
Do you feel like God has forgotten about you at times? Do you feel like he is distant? When we look at the life of Joseph, it reminds us that He is working in every detail of our lives. He is always faithful to his promises and because of that truth; we are called to respond in obedience.
Prayer: Lord, thank You always for keeping Your promises. By the power of the Holy Spirit, help me today to be joyous, hopeful and loving, knowing that I serve a tender loving God. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Job 17
Lunch Break Study
Read 1 Peter 1:3-9: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. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Questions to Consider
According to Peter, what is the reason for our hope?
How should we look at our trials and what is the purpose of them?
How can we be comforted by this passage?
Notes
Peter reminds the believers in this letter to look at Christ’s great mercy and the inheritance that is imperishable and will never be taken away from us. That is the reason why we have hope.
We go through trials because it shows us the genuineness of our faith (v. 7). We can rejoice with joy because we have been saved by his great love (v. 8-9).
We can be assured of a living hope that will never be taken away from us as believers.
Evening Reflection
Take some time reflecting on the passages you read today. What challenged you? Take time to think about how you will apply it in your life.
REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on August 20, 2017, is provided by Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a long-time member of the Church of Southland, is a high school teacher.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Perseverance in Prayer”
John 17:1
“He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you . . .’”
On a recent flight, I watched a movie on the plane that began with a scene of a reporter asking “Miss Elliot, aren’t you scared? Given the history, given the dangers?” Elliot replied, “Of course. I’m scared that I might let the mission down in some way. . .. Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” Her answer caused me to think about the conflicts and fears that I had been holding onto rather than lifting up to the LORD in prayer. This of course seems like a normal reaction by most of us who “fix our eyes . . . on what is seen, [not] on what is unseen” (1 Cor. 4:18).
How did our Lord Jesus handle his mission when one wrong move (think the temptation of Jesus by the devil) could have destroyed everything, thereby ensuring that humans would be forever lost in their sins? Jesus, as he was about to offer his last prayer before the crucifixion, “lifted up His eyes to heaven”; instead of allowing the suffering and death which lay before his sight to turn him away from obeying God’s will (Mt. 26:39), he fixated His eyes on the unseen: that is, the Father and His will which he came to fulfill.
What a beautiful stance to take—taking a position of humility, hope, and faith towards the LORD, in spite of the reality of such sorrow. It takes a deep and loving relationship with the Father for us to pour out our prayers even in the greatest difficulties.
So, do we pray to acknowledge God’s will above our own requests and conflicts in life? Do we pray with tenacity, especially when difficulty lies ahead? Perhaps there is something you have stopped praying about after long periods of wholehearted effort, or maybe you have grown weary of praying over the same problems after all this time. Take heart and lift your prayers again and again to the LORD, because we must commit to prayer rather than neglect our conversations with the Lord.
Remember, it takes perseverance in prayer to be effective and victorious, as evidenced by the parable of the persistent widow (Lk. 18:1-8) which begins with these words of Jesus: “They should always pray and not give up.” Let us take the stance of a believer who has truly received the gift of eternal life by our loving Father, and lift up our voices in deep and steadfast prayer.
Prayer: LORD, thank you for the gift of eternal life. Thank you for being my loving Father and for hearing my prayers. Cover me with your grace and love so that I may be a channel of mercy and blessing to my spouse, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Fill me with kindness so that I may bring Your words to those around me with gentleness and humility. Amen.
REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on August 19, 2017, is written by Mei Lan Thallman. Mei Lan served faithfully at Grace Covenant Church (formerly UC campus) for many years.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“Bucking NO More”
Ephesians 5:21-33 (NIV)
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.22 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[a] 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. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body.31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Summer is a prime time for weddings. This year we’ve received six wedding invitations and have been to three already. Over six years of shepherding the young adult congregation at GCC, we have walked many dating couples through dating and premarital counseling, and have ultimately been a part of their wedding date. I always cry tears of joy and celebration at these weddings, recalling each couples’ unique struggles and journeys that have brought them to this sacred moment of making a lifelong commitment to each other as husband and wife.
My husband and I celebrated our 21st year anniversary this June. Floods of memories brought me back to that special day, but the one that stood out the most to me was God’s transforming power in my life as a bride. The pastor who married us in Taiwan knew both of us very well—he was our pastor, Kirt’s mentor as a seminary intern, and my boss (I served two years under him as church secretary). In our marriage sermon, he described me as a bucking horse whose natural tendency is to buck and kick at my husband’s attempt to lead me. As funny as I must admit this illustration was, our pastor spoke out of love, wisdom and prophetic insight. For many years in my marriage I unwisely resisted, challenged and rebelled against my husband’s leadership, rather than cooperate with his love for me to lead us before the Lord.
By God’s unrelenting grace and love, and much credit to my husband’s persevering trust and commitment to Christ, they never gave up on me nor did they allow me to stay in my dysfunctional and destructive old self, thought and behavior patterns. They stood by my side through my darkest moments and gave me the courage to face and overcome past brokenness. Together they loved me to love life abundantly and encouraged me continually to becoming the woman God created me to be. I am far from reaching perfection, but I am proud to testify before the world that my God is not through with me yet. I am His work in progress, until I meet him in eternity.
Whether you are single or married, male or female, Jesus is your beloved and he is committed 100% to your sanctification of becoming his radiant bride. Please don’t buck his work by resisting his lordship. Surrender to his love and care for you. He is your trustworthy bridegroom.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being our Bridegroom by your unrelenting sacrifice on our behalf; for teaching us how to love and submit by your example to the Father; and for showing us that true freedom and ultimate fulfillment is found under your lordship, protection, provision and unchanging truth. Help us to faithfully cooperate with your sanctifying work in our lives as your radiant bride to the world around us. Amen.
REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted September 7, 2018, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun. Mark is now serving as a staff at Radiance Christian Church in S.F.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“What Is Scripture to You?”
Jeremiah 36:9-16 (ESV)
In the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord. 10 Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11 When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the king’s house, into the secretary’s chamber, and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the officials. 13 And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, son of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Take in your hand the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down and read it.” So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear. And they said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.”
Foundational to the Christian faith is what we know and believe about the Scriptures. As we read and study our Bibles, there are some core values that must be taken into consideration if we are to get the most out of our time in God’s Word. These values will affect our attitude towards the subjects that we encounter, many of which are controversial in our society, and this in turn will affect our desire to read and obey the Word of God. Central to the correct handling of the Scriptures is understanding the inherent authority of God’s Word and approaching the text with the right attitude of the heart.
According to Wayne Grudem , “the authority of Scripture means that the words of the Bible are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.” Clearly, disbelief and disobedience constitute an attitude of rebellion towards God. Anyone who is unwilling to submit themselves under the authority of God’s Word is in a state of sin. As difficult as it might seem, our disagreement with anything taught explicitly in the Scriptures is displeasing to God. Although it might be natural to question and doubt some parts of Scripture, ultimately, even those things that we do not fully understand are to be believed and obeyed. It is pride and a lack of faith that says I will believe and obey only those things I completely comprehend and agree with. If we are to uphold the authority of the Bible, we cannot place ourselves over the Word of God (as judge and critic), but rather, we must place ourselves under the Word (as student and servant).
As Baruch reads the scrolls, we see the proper attitude towards the Word of God displayed in the reactions of the king’s officials. There is both fear and a willingness to accept the content as true. When these officials recognize the weight of what is being shared, they immediately sense a need to share the message with the king. In our day and age, we have become so obsessed with not offending people that we fail to share the instructions and warnings of the Scriptures to those who need to hear them. Who knows, perhaps people will listen and turn to the Lord—just like these officials!
Prayer: Father, help me to submit myself to the authority of Your Word. May Your Holy Spirit open my mind to understand the Scriptures, and give me an undivided heart to obey. Teach me Your ways and keep me in the path of Your truth. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Job 13
Lunch Break Study
Read John 17:6-19 (ESV): “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
Questions to Consider
What is the identifying marker of those who belong to God?
Where did Jesus’ teaching originate from?
What does it mean to be sanctified in the truth?
Notes
It’s their desire and ability to obey His word. One of the reoccurring themes in the apostle John’s writing is the connection between loving God and obeying. Love for God is concretely expressed through the keeping of his commandments.
Jesus freely confesses that the source of His teaching is not from Himself but from the Father who sent Him. According to verse 8, Jesus simply gave the disciples the word that was given to Him. In fact, earlier in John 12:49, Jesus asserts that He does not speak on His own authority, but speaks only what He hears His father saying.
Sanctification means to be made “holy and set apart.” This passage teaches us that sanctification is not simply a matter of the will but begins by accepting the truth of all that God has said. We are sanctified by accepting and obeying the truth of His Word. It is this truth that will ultimately set us free to live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him.
Evening Reflection
Do you have questions and doubts regarding certain truths taught in the Scriptures? Ask God to give you clarity regarding those issues so that you can continue to grow in faith. Too often we fail to wrestle with our doubts and to ask God for the answers. The Lord wants us to have a reasonable faith and desires for us to work out every area of our salvation.
REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, first posted on August 9, 2018, is provided by Pastor Doug Tritton. Doug has been pastoring Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia since 2021.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“His Yoke is Easy and Light”
Jeremiah 27:19-22
“For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.”
Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
None of us is a fan of adversity. For me, I absolutely hate having conversations with Comcast’s customer service. Or try airlines—I remember getting into a very lengthy conversation with airline personnel after a flight cancelation. It’s painful to deal with a company that really seems to wish the worst on you, and I’m sure I’m not alone in dealing with them. Then again, my taste of adversity can’t hold a candle to that which God’s people once faced.
In our passage in Jeremiah, God tells the Israelites to allow Babylon to carry them into exile. What a command—Babylon was an enemy, yet God was allowing the Israelites to be conquered by them! Israel faced its greatest struggle since Egypt, yet ultimately it was what was best for them. Though there would be adversity, God promised peace. He said He would restore His people. They would not be in exile forever –their struggle was only a temporary, though necessary, step.
The yoke of the Lord is of great comfort to His children, as we have talked about the past few days; but it does not mean we will never experience adversity. Throughout the Gospels, we read of Jesus telling His disciples that they would face persecution, they would face opposition. This is the cost of discipleship to Jesus. But this adversity is only temporary. God will come, and He will restore His people for eternity. This is the hope we have. Other yokes may promise temporary peace or ease, but they only result in eternal pain. The yoke of the Lord, while sometimes challenging in our life, will lead to eternal peace and eternal joy.
Jesus told His disciples that there would be trouble in this world, but He also told them to come to Him for rest. He gives us a yoke that is easy to bear–in the sense that we need not worry. It’s light because we do not need to be in control. We can trust Jesus, even in the midst of all occasions of adversity. So as we wrap up this topic of being yoked, let’s continue to come to Jesus and be yoked to Him. Though there will be adversity, we know His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He is the one in control, so let us come to Him!
Prayer: Lord, thank You for offering Your yoke to us, a burden that is easy and light. Help us to continually choose to come to You, knowing that You are the one in control. Help us to continue to release control of our futures, to let go of control of our lives, and to trust You. We come to You, Jesus! May we be forever yoked to You! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Job 12
Lunch Break Study
Read Matthew 16:24-26: Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Questions to Consider
How do we “come after” Jesus?
What happens when we, by ourselves, try to save our lives?
In what ways is Jesus calling you to follow Him today? Is there something you need to deny?
Notes
Jesus says that to come after Him, we need to first deny ourselves. This means we choose to find our value in Him; we let go of our attempts to create an identity for ourselves in the things of this world. We instead find our identity in Him. Then, we take up our cross—meaning, we accept that there will be adversity in our walk with Jesus.
If we try to save our lives, we will lose them. Death is chasing after us all. As Ecclesiastes teaches us, it’s vanity to chase after the various pleasures of this passing life. Yet, when we let go of this life, recognizing there is a better hope to dwell upon, we instead find a life that is eternal. This is a life spent with Jesus.
Take some time to reflect on this question. Perhaps there is something we are holding onto tightly, unwilling to surrender to Jesus. Ask for Jesus’ help to continually surrender and follow Him.
Evening Reflection
Jesus says to us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” We are burdened and tired because we continue to try to be in control. Tonight, come to Jesus and ask for His rest, a rest that is deeper than anything this world could give, a rest that refreshes our souls. Enjoy this rest tonight!
