November 5, Tuesday,

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 14, 2018, is provided by Pastor Barry Kang, who heads Symphony Church in Boston. Barry is a graduate of Stanford University (B.S.), Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Gordon Conwell Seminary (D.Min.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Do I Care About the City?”

Jeremiah 29:7

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

If we read God’s message to the Jewish exiles in Babylon in Jeremiah 29:1-6 and stopped there, we might think that God was telling Israel to make the most of a bad situation: “You’re going to be here for a while, so make yourself comfortable.” This, in itself, would have been bad news, especially the news that they were going to be in exile for a while. But verse 7 changes everything!

It was one thing to tell the exiles that they were going to be in Babylon longer than they expected or hoped—but now God was telling them to care about Babylon also! This was like telling Jonah to pray and work for the welfare of Ninevah, or telling Palestinians to pray and work for the welfare of Israel, or telling U.C. Berkeley grads to work for and pray for the welfare of Stanford University!

But what if God is asking us to actually care about and for people we don’t want to care about? What if He’s asking us to care for people who we may feel are like our enemies? What if He’s asking us to care for the city in which we live (assuming you live in a city)? I asked “what ifs,” but of course, these aren’t hypothetical questions—because God loves the world and He is asking us to care about the people around us!

Prayer: Father, I want to learn to pray for my city and its welfare. Show me today aspects of Your will for where I live. Teach me to love my neighbors (even the ones I don’t like) as myself and to know that in their welfare, I will also find mine. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 41

Lunch Break Study

Read Jonah 4:1-11: But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?

Questions to Consider

Compare Jonah 4:2 with Exodus 34:6-7. What do you think Jonah is accusing God of, and why is Jonah so angry?
Why do you think God grew a plant to give shade to Jonah?
What is the lesson that God wants to teach Jonah?

Notes

You may have noticed that Jonah repeats the description that God gives of himself, but omits “but who will by no means clear the guilty….” Jonah is accusing God of being big on grace but soft on justice. Jonah is angry that God has chosen to forgive Nineveh instead of destroying them.
God grew the plant as a way of giving Jonah something to care for.
God wants to teach Jonah that everything is worthy of his care and mercy. Jonah was upset when a plant that gave him shade was destroyed, but God wanted him to see how much more precious were the many people of Nineveh.

Evening Reflection

What is the state of your heart in regards to the city in which you live? What do you love? What do you hate? Are you thinking about your long-term impact? How is God asking you to pray for the city? Please journal your meditations.

November 5, Tuesday,

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Do I Care About the City?”

Jeremiah 29:7

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 41

Lunch Break Study

Questions to Consider

Compare Jonah 4:2 with Exodus 34:6-7. What do you think Jonah is accusing God of, and why is Jonah so angry?
Why do you think God grew a plant to give shade to Jonah?
What is the lesson that God wants to teach Jonah?

Notes

You may have noticed that Jonah repeats the description that God gives of himself, but omits “but who will by no means clear the guilty….” Jonah is accusing God of being big on grace but soft on justice. Jonah is angry that God has chosen to forgive Nineveh instead of destroying them.
God grew the plant as a way of giving Jonah something to care for.
God wants to teach Jonah that everything is worthy of his care and mercy. Jonah was upset when a plant that gave him shade was destroyed, but God wanted him to see how much more precious were the many people of Nineveh.

Evening Reflection

November 4, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional Spiritual, first posted on August 29, 2017, is provided by Hee Jung Lee. Hee Jung, a graduate of Biblical Theological Seminary, serves at Catalyst Agape Church (New Jersey) along with her husband Pastor Sam Lee.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Proper Diet”

Hebrews 5:14

“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”

Having raised four daughters, I noticed that something happens to a child at the age of six months: give or take a few months, but around this age their nutritional needs change. Up until then, a baby is sufficed to live on a mother’s milk; but around six months, they need additional nutrients that can only come through solid foods. This is a natural process of maturing that enables the child to grow healthy and strong. The proper steps of introducing solids help their digestive system to adjust, mature, and come into full function. Without this introduction, the child will eventually be malnourished and develop inadequately. It is surreal how much of the natural realm parallels truths in the spiritual realm.

In Hebrews 5:14, we are reminded that “solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” In order for us to properly mature spiritually, we must intentionally live out and apply the Word of God in our attitudes, ways of thinking, speech, and behavioral choices in relationships. And we must do this not occasionally with moodiness, or haphazardly, but we are to do it constantly whereby we deny our flesh and submit ourselves to the Spirit-breathed principles that change us. Only then, are we able to properly mature and our spirits trained to celebrate all that is good and despise any form of evil, which often come through living out of the flesh. As we all do this, how rich and full of love the church would be! How rightfully we would mimic Jesus to a skeptical world!

I’m often surprised at how often we, the body of Christ, actually live in its own willfulness, caught up in negative emotions, strife, judgment, religiosity, spite, unforgiveness and ultimately, clouded from distinguishing good from evil at hand. This should not be. Rather, as we humble ourselves and actively apply God’s Word to all situations in our lives, we will find that we are properly discerning and maturing, capable of chasing away evil. We then transform even the darkest places with the goodness of God’s likeness and His radiant LOVE.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I want to look, taste, and smell like You. I want to be this way, submitting myself to You in every way possible. Please help me to resort not to my own willfulness filled only with Bible knowledge, but please help me to actively apply Your Word to my life that I might mature and grow up in things of Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 4:12: For the Word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Questions to Consider

1. How has maturity been manifesting in your life lately?

2. Have you been investing time in God’s Word so that you are allowing yourself to encounter God through it?

3. What is one unhealthy fruit in your life that can be addressed by obeying a principle in God’s Word?

Notes

1. God is on a gracious journey with us. The best thing we can do to mature and grow in the Lord is to submit to the work that He is doing.

2. Spiritual discipline is important to growth and maturity. Greater the investment, greater the reaping even in spiritual matters. It’s wise to have a plan or routine set to spend time in reading the Bible and encountering Him in His truths.

3. Read John 15:2 and consider why God prunes and how He brings about greater fruits in our lives.

Bible Reading: Job 41

Evening Reflection

We began the day reflecting on applying God’s Word to our lives for proper maturity and growth. How did you fare today in the light of that truth? Remember, there is no condemnation for us. Every day is a new day with new mercies to walk with the Lord.

November 3, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on September 9, 2017, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun through whom God founded the Radiance Christian Church (S.F.) in 2012. Mark currently serves a member of staff at Radiance.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Feminism and Genesis 3”

Genesis 3:14-19

A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin j and onyx are also there.) 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Most modern women have a negative reaction to being called a ‘helper’ of man. The reason for this is that we tend to impose our cultural bias and assume that ‘helper’ means ‘junior assistant’. The Hebrew word that is translated as helper in English is ezer which is used 19 other times in the Old Testament. Three times it is used to describe one person helping another; 16 times it is used to describe God helping man. We get the Hebrew name, Eliezer, the God who helps, and Ebenezer, the rock of my help, from this exact word. In each case, the one who helps gives that help from the position of power, which makes logical sense. If I am offering my help to you, I can only offer you that help if I have the capacity to help. If someone offers to help you and you evaluate that this person is less capable than you, then you would naturally reject their offer.

Women were created with certain God–given powers to help men but unfortunately that power was distorted when Eve fell into temptation. It is not difficult to see the subtle and sometimes not so subtle power that women have over men. I fall under my daughter’s spell every day! I tell myself daily that I will not give into Carissa’s Jedi mind tricks but somehow, she gets me to do everything for her. And the only one who can free me from my daughter’s evil schemes is my wife. She is my help and I could not imagine raising my children without her because she has strength and power that I do not have!

It is important to note that it was Eve who was first attracted to the temptation of power that was presented to her by the devil. Surprisingly, it is Eve that first pushed this pendulum of power that caused the imbalance in gender equality. This is why God’s curse on women revolves mainly around the issue of power. But we also see why the devil tempted Eve first because God entrusted her with the power to be the helper of man.

However, as we read the scriptures through the lens of redemptive history, we can also see that God is restoring all things including the equality of male and female. As the apostle Paul writes, “there is neither male nor female” in Christ, one day, men and women will have full equality and there will no longer be this sinful struggle for power. But that day is not quite here because we still live in a fallen world and because of our sinful and selfish tendencies, God asks women to submit to men in the home and in the church for the sake of restoring and fulfilling their powerful role as the helper.

Prayer: Father, we praise You that You have made both men and women in Your own image. What an incredible honor and joy it is to know that You have no biases and share Your likeness equally with both genders. Help us to overcome any feelings of inferiority or insecurity and to embrace the ways in which You have designed both sexes. We have all been fearfully and wonderfully made. May our heart and soul know this truth full well!

Bible Reading for Today: Job 40

November 2, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on August 26, 2017. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Firsthand, not Secondhand”

1 John 1:1-3

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

Last winter, I visited my family in Taiwan and finally met my first “nephew” (the son of my cousin). For the last five years, I had heard my cousins, aunts, and grandmother raving about him – he was clever, he was mischievous, he was extremely cute, etc. I had seen plenty of photos and heard many stories of his antics. One could say that I thought I knew what to expect upon meeting him. To my delight, he was all I had imagined and more. In the few short weeks, I got to know him better and was completely charmed by the end of my stay. It was one thing to have heard secondhand about him; it was quite different to see him in action, play with him, and build my own relationship with him.

One mark of Christ’s disciples was that they knew Him personally. The first disciples had the privilege of physically seeing and touching Jesus. He was not a story or legend – He was flesh and blood, and His life was opened up to them. They didn’t need other people’s observations or stories; they had known Him directly and personally.

For believers in this millennium, it is impossible for us to see Jesus in the flesh. But have we looked to have a personal relationship with Him? Or have we been content to just listen to what others are experiencing about Him? It is possible to read and know many wonderful things about Jesus, but it is quite another to go forth and seek Him out for yourself and see if He does indeed live up to your ideas of who He is.

Today’s, let’s not settle for just hearsay about who God is and be satisfied with secondhand knowledge from what others have studied, experienced, and sought in their lives. Let’s know His character for ourselves by going through His word and approaching Him in prayer. Have you heard testimony of God’s goodness and presence from others before? Let’s ask Him to make that our first-hand, concrete experience as well, for Him to give us a testimony that is trustworthy and personal.

Prayer: Father, we want to encounter You. We are not interested in having heard about You and secondhand information about who You are. We want to discover You fully for ourselves. Give us hearts that are hungry to know You personally, and show us that when we seek You, that we will indeed find You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 38-39

November 1, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 1, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. David is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Jesus and the Lost”

Luke 15:1-10

The Parable of the Lost Sheep: Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin: “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

I read an unbelievable Newsweek article about an elderly couple from Knoxville, Tennessee – Tony and Delores Amaral. After being released from the hospital, they attempted to make their way home, which was supposed to be a short trip back. Instead, they got lost and were found two states over and five days later near Atlanta, Georgia! They had embarked on an unlikely journey crisscrossing through Kentucky to Atlanta, Georgia, where police finally found them. During the time they went missing, their daughter went into frantic desperation, and with the help of police, the family tracked the elderly couple to Atlanta using bank transactions, and were safely returned home.

In today’s parable Jesus also talks about the agony of something being lost and the joy of being found. First, Jesus talks about a lost sheep and how a shepherd would do anything to get that one sheep back. Then he talks about a lost coin and how this woman would go on a frantic search to find it. So what do we learn from these stories?

We must have God’s heart to seek out those who are lost – Jesus is clearly addressing those who do not have a relationship with Him and how He longs to find them. And we are called to share this burden. How about you? Do you also have that kind of heart for the lost?

There is uncontrollable joy when one is found – Jesus wants us to know that there is a certain joy that He wants to share with us when we participate in His search to find the lost. That is why it’s important that we continue to be salt and light and His witnesses so that others would come to know Christ through our lives.

Let us be fueled by God’s amazing grace. For those of us who are in Christ, we ought to be reminded that Christ found us even when we were not looking for Him. In order for us to have a burden for the lost, we must also remember that the gospel shows us that we were once lost and by His sheer grace – He found us.

Prayer: Lord, gives us heart for lost people. Forgive us because we often ignore or do not take advantage of opportunities to share the gospel with people around us. Gives us love, boldness and humility and we declare Christ to this world. Amen!

Bible Reading: Job 37

Lunch Break Study

Read Colossians 4:5-6: Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Questions to Consider

What do you think it means to walk in wisdom towards outsiders?
How can our speech be gracious and seasoned with salt?
How do these verses apply to you personally?

Notes

The basic gospel message is easy to learn, but it takes wisdom to present it in a way that will not unnecessarily create obstacles to its truth in the hearts and minds of unbelievers. Warning people of the judgment due to their sin with honesty, love, and humility can be difficult. We can fall into the trap either of being so concerned about sounding judgmental that we never talk about sin or of being so self-righteous that we forget the grace shown to us and treat people as if they are so unclean that Jesus could never forgive them and welcome them into His kingdom
The Greek words that are behind “speech,” “gracious,” and “salt” are used together in the first-century literature to refer to speech that is gracious and attractive — winsome, even witty words that are also spoken in a humble manner. In other words, the apostle wants the presentation of the gospel to the outside world done in a manner that captures the gospel’s excitement and that is able to answer the unbeliever’s legitimate questions.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time in personal prayer. Ask the Lord to speak to you on the things you read and meditated on today.

October 31, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, which was first posted on June 21, 2018, is provided by a writer who wants to remain anonymous.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Empathy, not Judging”

Jeremiah 14:19-21 (ESV)

“Have you utterly rejected Judah? Does your soul loathe Zion? Why have you struck us down so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; for a time of healing, but behold, terror. We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we have sinned against you. Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake; do not dishonor your glorious throne; remember and do not break your covenant with us.”

In my teenage years, I had a habit of saying “I hate” this or that. “I hate mayonnaise.” “Ugh, I hate this song.” Even if it only irked me a little bit, I would express that I hated it in front of others. Seeing this, my mom told me something in passing that stuck with me. She told that there was never really a good enough reason to say “I hate…” out loud. Her words made me re-assess how I speak. Even if I did hate something, I could choose to stay silent or say something more thoughtful and constructive, instead.

In today’s passage, we see the prophet Jeremiah in an environment where there is really nothing good to say. The Israelites have broken their covenant with God yet again, by going after Canaanite idols. The Israelites knew their covenant stipulations and that disobedience would result in sword and famine falling upon them. Jeremiah was sent to remind them of it, again and again. However, when false prophets spring up among them, promising that sword and famine would not fall upon them, some Israelites choose to believe false prophets instead. At this point, if you were in Jeremiah’s shoes, what would you have said? What words would you have chosen to say about the Israelites? Would it start with, “I hate . . .”?

In v. 17, we read that God gives Jeremiah a word to give Israel. Jeremiah is sent to mourn over their rebellion and the impending famine with “tears night and day.” Neither God nor Jeremiah ignores the grim situation, but Jeremiah prays over them, asking God “not to spurn [Israel], for [His] name’s sake” and have grace on them. In response to this situation out of his control, Jeremiah chooses to stand in the gap for His people and be an intercessor. Instead of judging, he empathized with and mourned for them.

In today’s world, we tend to be surrounded with groups judging each other and describing why they do so. Reality is, every situation is complex and there will always be multiple perspectives. Instead of discerning, judging or discussing, we should also be led to empathize and intercede for those we agree and disagree with. Like Jeremiah, let’s discover where God has uniquely placed us to be effective intercessors, and thoughtful and constructive friends.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us the power of words to not only speak truth and bless others, but intercede for all in prayer. Would You raise up a generation of powerful intercessors. In complex situations, give us the wisdom and maturity to speak in a way that builds up, not breaks down.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 36

Lunch Break Study

Read James 5:13-16: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

Questions to Consider

What are some circumstances we are instructed to pray?
How can we become intercessors with great power?
How have you been defining “powerful intercession”? Did your definition change in response to this passage?

Notes

In every mood, whether we are suffering or cheerful. In every circumstance, whether we are sick or struggling in sin. In particular, we can confess our sins and pray with each other in order in our communities, to be forgiven and healed
“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” In Christ Jesus, we are righteous people and all believers can become effective intercessors.
Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

We tend to be quick to think and speak, but slow to empathize and pray. Are there any areas of your life you felt called to pray over? Any ministries you serve in but felt called to pray more over? Let’s do so today because God is listening to our prayers!

October 30, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 14, 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 Reason Why I Do Anything”

Jeremiah 12:2b (NIV)

“You are always on their lips but far from their hearts.”

I think I count as a relatively big sports fan. Unfortunately, my favorite team (da Bears) have been an absolute dumpster fire for the past five seasons. Since the 2012 season, we’re now on our fourth head coach (meaning, we’ve fired three in six years!). Now, while I generally hate seeing people lose their jobs, I knew it was time for the last two to go. In sports, you realize a coach has “lost the team” when the players stop playing hard or give effort: In football, players will miss tackles or won’t get up quickly after getting blocked; in basketball, defenders will get beat off the dribble or give up uncontested layups and jumpers; in baseball, base runners won’t run out ground balls, etc. In other words, the players just go through the motions of competing without actually putting their hearts into it.

If you have been seeking after the Lord for any significant amount of time, I would venture to say that there have been times or even extended seasons where you were guilty of going through the motions of Christian life (or worship or serving) without putting your heart into it. Sure, you go to Sunday worship, small groups, perhaps retreats and other major church events, but you’re not particularly excited or come with anticipation, do you? Even in serving, you can go through the motions; perhaps you were a small group leader so you hosted and led the Bible study, but you didn’t really prepare or pray for your members. Pastors aren’t immune to gutless service either—if we aren’t careful, we can treat church work like a job, as opposed to a calling.

Now, I’m taking today’s passage a little out of context, as Jeremiah was complaining about genuinely wicked people who professed God on Sundays but did whatever evil their hearts wanted the rest of the days. But still, even as people who genuinely want to follow and serve the Lord, don’t you find that there are times when Jesus is more on your lips (and actions) than in your heart? Even if that kind of feels like you this morning, please regroup: remember who and why you do what you do, and get your heart right with the Lord. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul, who said that it was Christ’s love that compelled him to preach the gospel (2 Cor. 5:14). May Christ’s love be the reason you do everything you do, and may He always be near to your heart.

Prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart (Ps 139:23); please restore my love for You. If I am in danger of going through the motions of Christian life, forgive me and give me a right spirit. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 35

Lunch Break Study

Read Revelation 2:1-7: “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans,which I also hate. 7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Questions to Consider

What are some things that the church of Ephesus did right?
What did they get wrong and how did the Lord view this? (v. 7)
What was the Lord’s remedy for the Ephesian church?

Notes

In vv. 2-3 we see that the Ephesian church worked hard and persevered through trials, and there was both a lifestyle and doctrinal purity to them.
They had forsaken their first love (Christ)—this was such a serious matter that the Lord threatened to remove their lampstand. In the previous chapter, the lampstand is what makes a church a church, so I think the most likely interpretation is that the Holy Spirit would leave this church.
To fix their church, Jesus commands the Ephesians to consider or remember where they are now (and where they were), repent, and do those things they used to do (v. 5). Perhaps that would be good for us as well.

Evening Reflection

Today we talked extensively about the heart. If you haven’t already taken some time to reflect, and ask yourself, Why do I do what I do? Can you say that your life reflects a person who loves the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength? Or are you going through the motions? Has life (family, career, money, good times, etc.) clouded your heart? Ask the Lord to reveal the condition of your heart today.

October 29, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 6, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God Hears Us”

Jeremiah 51:34-37

“Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his stomach with my delicacies; he has rinsed me out. The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,” let the inhabitant of Zion say. “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” let Jerusalem say. Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry, and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant.

As a brand new church planter, one of my personal struggles is—my constant need to be respected. People strive to find their sense of worth in different ways; so for me, my sense of worth is woefully intertwined with whether or not I feel respected by my congregation, my fellow pastors/missionaries, my wife, and those whom I look up to. For the past two months, I’ve spent hours stressfully evaluating and re-evaluating each and every sermon I’ve preached and Bible studies that I’ve led with the question: “Do people respect me? Perhaps I said that too harshly, or too passively; perhaps it was irrelevant and boring, or I sounded too self-centered… and so on.” It was getting to the point where I was losing sleep because of my constant obsession with re-evaluation—all in an effort to determine whether or not the few people in our church respected me. It started taking a toll on my body and my mental health, as well as my relationship with my family. When anxiety hits me like this, I often feel crushed, swallowed up, or rinsed out, much like the Israelites’ cry in our passage today. Of course they are speaking of destruction in a physical sense, but for many of us, the spiritual oppression that we experience is just as real of a defeat as this.

Deliverance came for me when I verbalized my defeat before God. Of all places, it happened in the shower—that’s become my one guaranteed place of solitude. I confessed to Him that my desire to be respected was eating me up, because that’s where I was seeking to find my worth. Almost as soon as the words left my mouth, it was as if the fog cleared, and I remembered the simple truth of the gospel: My worth is not based upon peoples’ opinion of me, but rather what God has spoken over me: that I am His child. That’s where my worth comes from! I felt the burden and stress begin to melt away, and I walked out of that shower feeling more refreshed than ever. By the way, this wasn’t a new revelation. Of course I have heard this, known this, and even preached on being a child of God before. But it wasn’t until I confessed my brokenness before God that this gospel truth was able to touch and transform the inner parts of my being.

The book of Jeremiah has been a tough one so far, primarily because of all the talk about destruction and defeat. But if there’s one thing we can glean from today’s passage, it’s that when God’s people cry out to their God, He is faithful to listen and respond. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, crushed, swallowed up, let us cry out to our Lord.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that even when we feel swallowed up, You are still in control. And we thank You that You hear us and respond to us when we call. Help us to stand firm against the attacks of the enemy. But Lord, when we do fall, may we be quick to call out to You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 34

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 18:1-8: And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Questions to Consider

In Jesus’ parable, why does the judge decide to give the widow what she asks for?
According to the passage, why did Jesus tell this parable?
What does this passage tell us about who our God is?

Notes

In Jesus’ parable, He makes it doubly clear that this judge is not a believer in God, nor is he a people pleaser. Jesus is removing all other variables in order to make the point that persistence alone is enough to persuade a worldly judge into action.
To encourage the listeners “to always pray and not lose heart.”
The parable is not saying that God is like this worldly judge. The point is that even a worldly judge, despite his worldliness, would still be stirred by persistence. How much more, then, would our God, a God who is loving and just, respond to our persistent prayers? The answer is clear: “will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.”

Evening Reflection

Where do you find your sense of worth? It’s often difficult to answer this question honestly, because we don’t often think this way. But it’s an important question to wrestle with, because the thing you find your worth in actually has a lot of control over how you live. Spend some time tonight asking the Holy Spirit if there is any part of you that is seeking to find worth in something other than God.

October 28, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotionals, first posted on October 22, 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

“God Still Speaks”

Jeremiah 47:1

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.

Parenting is hard work! It’s hard because the devil is in the details—diapers, discipline, fashion, fairy tales—and almost every detail leaves a ripple that the eye cannot see. That’s a big responsibility. It’s almost unfair. What parents do AND don’t do—all of this taking place under the weight of pressures both outside and in—matters. Whether they realize it or not, parents are under the scrutiny of watchful eyes and listening ears. All that to say: “Parents, your words are incredibly important.” Words spoken in frustration and anger scar; words aimed to humiliate always do; and worst of all, words left unsaid leave an indelible void in the hearts of children who look to their parents for the building blocks of their personhood. Words are powerful indeed.

Which is why the fact that God speaks is so fundamentally life-changing. If words-left-unsaid can leave a hole in our hearts, how great would be the void if we imagine God to be silent—indifferent to our existence, disengaged from our lives, and uncompassionate toward our pains? We would be cosmically insecure, helpless, and feeling like a small fish in danger of being swallowed by the sharks of life—that is, if God doesn’t speak—but, He does!

The context of today’s passage is international conflict involving several nations at odds. The old enemy of God’s people, the Philistines, are about to be attacked by the Egyptians before they themselves are engulfed by the Babylonian Empire. Philistia was a small fish compared to these empires of sharks. God’s people could relate: Judah was a speck in the dust compared to the Babylonian hoard (who would later conquer her). The Judeans probably felt like everything was teetering out of control. But in that moment, God saw fit to address their demise and identify His sovereignty amidst their uncertainty. What others saw as chaos, God had under control. And the fact that God speaks affirms this to us today: You cannot be lost afloat when your God continues to call. Jeremiah tells us all men and women are accountable to the God who created them—and He is NOT indifferent towards us. He still speaks!

Before delving into the ancient conflicts of the Near East, ask yourself, “Am I making space for God to speak into my life? When was the last time I heard from the Lord? How am I responding to His words now?”

Prayer: Dear Lord, increase the longing in my soul for Your voice. Remind me that You are neither distant or disinterested—but rather passionate and persistent in Your purposes for me. Speak O Lord, I want to hear… Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Job 33

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 32:14-18: For the palace is forsaken, the populous city deserted; the hill and the watchtower will become dens forever, a joy of wild donkeys, a pasture of flocks; 15 until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. 16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. 17 And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust[a] forever. 18 My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

This passage describes the blessing that the Holy Spirit brings to God’s people – literally described as order out of chaos.

Questions to Consider

What do forsaken castles and deserted cities represent to you?
What difference does the Spirit being ‘poured upon us’ bring?
How does the Spirit’s presence change our relationships?

Notes

Castles represented protection and leadership, while cities represent prosperity and opportunity. The absence of authority in a castle and people in a city is a picture of chaos. It’s life out of order. Life outside of God’s presence is similar.
In contrast to a life in chaos, the Spirit bring life (fruitful field) and vitality (forest). This is consistent with the Holy Spirit’s activity throughout history – active in creation & the agent of God’s new creation through Jesus (Titus 3:4-5).
Surprisingly the effects mentioned here are not merely personal. The Spirit being ‘poured upon us’ results in justice and righteousness – literally fairness and uprightness. It changes how we live and especially how we treat those around us. If you say you have the Spirit, how are you treating the person in front of you?

Evening Reflection

One of the realities of living in a media-saturated world is that we automatically filter out ton of stimuli. We cannot physically process every image and soundbite. It would drive us crazy! This makes it all the more important to prioritize the right voices. Did you tune-into God’s frequency today? What words from God did you receive? How are you responding?