REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on July 29, 2017, is provided by Jennifer Kim who served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Overcoming Fear to Serve God”

Exodus 4:1-12

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” 10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.

While many have heard the testimony of my time serving in Shanghai, not as many people know about the long two-year journey I had wrestling with God before I obeyed Him to serve overseas. On a regular Friday night worship service, our church was singing the song, “How Great is Our God,” and while I was meditating upon the words, I was so encompassed by the truth of the lyrics of how majestic and awesome our God is. Captured by His presence, I prayed to the Lord, “There is nothing more that I want than to serve the awesome God You are for the rest of my life.” Immediately after, I heard the Lord say to me, “Then will you go.” While this was one of the greatest moments of my faith, it also became one of my most shameful moments, because while I had just prayed this prayer of submission to the Lord, the moment God asked me to go overseas a fear came upon me, and all I could say was, “God I can’t do that.”

In today’s passage, Moses encounters the living God through a burning bush, and immediately after, the Lord commissions Moses to go to Egypt to deliver the Israelites from Pharaoh. While Moses is in the midst of God’s presence and given this incredible calling to be used by God, he wonders how he could be used for such a task as this, sharing all his doubts to the Lord. Yet the Lord addresses all of Moses’ fear by telling him exactly what to say to Pharaoh (3:13-22), by showing him miracle after miracle to show His incredible power (4:1-7). God even eases Moses’ insecurity regarding his inability to speak by allowing him to bring his brother Aaron (4:13-17).

My greatest insecurity regarding God’s commission to serve the Lord overseas was my fear of leaving my comfort zone, as well as the reaction of my non-Christian parents. For the next year, God addressed all of those insecurities when I had to be re-located to another state for a job and saw God’s amazing provision in my life, and when my parents gave me their full blessing to serve in China. While I had never asked God to ease these insecurities, He showed me powerfully that He is the God of miracles and the sustainer of our lives, and thus I could trust that He would be with me in Shanghai.

God has called each and every one of us to serve His Kingdom. We may struggle through fear and doubt, but I want to encourage you today to be honest about these fears. Ask God to show you His provision and grace, so that you may align yourself to God’s calling over your life. For: “God will supply all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Prayer: God, what an amazing privilege it is to join Your Kingdom work. Help me to surrender my fears to You so that I may serve faithfully in all that You ask of me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nahum 3

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on July 16, 2017. A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“God Remembers”

Exodus 2:23-25

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

Yesterday, as we covered the above passage in Exodus, I mentioned the American proverb “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”, meaning that the loudest cries best attract help. In the passage, the Israelites cried out loudly–in their prayers, in their groaning, in their desperation for God to return their freedom.

The reason we can be loud before God is that He is the One with the “grease” for our squeaking. What this passage tells us is that, after hearing the cries of the Israelites, God remembered His covenant with Abraham. It can be easy to read this and think, “Did God remember because He previously forgot about the covenant?” No, of course not! God does not forget. Rather, in the Hebrew mind, remembering was not about recalling something that was forgotten – it was actively responding to knowledge, which in this case, was the knowledge of the promise that God had made with the Israelites through their forefather Abraham. 

When we declare that God remembers us, we are declaring that God actively responds to our cries and our groans, because He is faithful. God’s remembrance is a demonstration of His faithfulness to us; it’s why we cry and plead with God in the first place, because He is faithful to respond to us.  Once, King Jehoshaphat, facing a huge enemy force, declared to the Lord: “We will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save” (2 Chron. 20:9).  He did. 

So, as we discussed yesterday, let’s bring our distress and desperation to Him, and let’s remind ourselves that we have a faithful God who listens, and more than that, responds to our cries. 

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are a God who remembers us. You do not leave us to our own ways, but rather You remember us and respond to us. Lord, hear our prayers, hear our cries, remember us and Your promises to us. Come and bring Your deliverance, for we know You are faithful! Thank You, Lord, for You are the only One who can help us. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nahum 1-2

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 16, 2017, is provided by Joanna Tzen, a friend of AMI, who attended and served at Grace Covenant Church (UC) for a long time. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Creator Who Knows Me”

Psalms 139:13-16

For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;your works are wonderful,I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from youwhen I was made in the secret place,when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;all the days ordained for me were written in your bookbefore one of them came to be.

This passage often comes to mind when we think of babies. For me, I come back to this passage every time a circumstance has whispered the lie that I was unknown or insignificant. The psalmist’s words remind me of how intimately my Creator knows me and has formed me. Our God is so big and sovereign, yet He knows what each of our days will hold.

These verses took on a new light during my pregnancy, when I started to think about how that process was currently taking place in the new life within. It made me think about how each person—not just me— is known intimately by the Lord. When I think about how the Lord has created and purposed an unborn child, I am filled with awe at His sovereignty, and it gives me much comfort. 

Pregnancy is a funny thing in that it is a very outwardly obvious circumstance—even strangers can observe this personal part of me and comment about it. Most of the time, I welcome people’s comments for they are funny and strikes up interesting conversations; but inevitably there is well-meaning advice that stirs up anxiety or doubt. However, God’s promise to us in this psalm reminds us how deeply we are known and cared for. In addition, He is sovereign and in control. There is no circumstance we encounter where His help and His presence is not found.

Is there a circumstance in your life today that is making you anxious? Have you taken time to remember God’s promises of who you are and who He is as your Creator?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to trust You more. Help me to see where I have built for my own glory and labored in vain. I want to depend on You. If you are dismantling something in my life, help me to see it as discipline from my Heavenly Father (Heb. 12:7). Help me to trust You as You build up a new thing in my life. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 13

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Phil 4:6: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Questions to Consider

1. What does Paul encourage believers to do when then are anxious?
2. What is the result of this action according to Paul?

Note

1. Paul encourages believers, with thanksgiving, to pray and petition and give our requests to God. This means we come with humble hearts, thanking God, not demanding the fulfillment of our needs. At the same time, we are encouraged to be honest with our requests.

1. When we meet with God in prayer, we are given supernatural peace that comes despite difficult circumstances, as we remember who He is and His promises.

---

Evening Reflection

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are so sovereign and yet You draw near to us. Thank You that you know us fully and completely, yet You choose to love us. Remind us that Your love is not earned, but is based on our position as children of God purchased by the costly blood of Jesus Christ.  When we forget this, we are tempted to be anxious and fretful. Root us again today in the promises of Your Word. Amen.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 22, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Yoon. David, a graduate of California Baptist University and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is serving at Tapestry LA Church as its executive pastor. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Distractions That Keep Us from Hearing God’s Word”

Mark 4:1-9 

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.2 And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil.6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”9 And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at a summer youth retreat in seventh grade. I still remember the tent that was used as the chapel, and where I was standing when I first experienced God’s overwhelming love and grace. During praise and response, I would lift my hands up to worship God; and at times, I would get on my knees to pray as my eyes filled with tears—my heart was filled with the Holy Spirit. Looking back, this was when my love relationship with God began and a spiritual marker in my life.  

In today’s passage, Jesus is teaching through parables—which literally means “to throw alongside” to a large crowd from a boat. A parable is a metaphor comparing a spiritual truth with something from the listeners’ everyday world. Unlike the modern method of agriculture, the seed was sown first and then plowed under. It was important for the farmer to remove the rocks from their fields before planting because nothing would grow on rocks. The parable begins and ends with an admonition to listen carefully. The parable of the soils illustrates God’s offer of salvation and the mixed response to that offer.

When it comes to hearing and listening to God’s Word, having a heart that is like good and healthy soil will allow God’s truth to take deep root and yield thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. Yet there are many distractions that can keep us from listening to God’s Word. Jesus gives the example of some seed being devoured by birds, landing on rocky, shallow ground, and being burned up by the sun. Other seeds grew but were chocked by thorns. Though I encountered God and gave my life to Him in seventh grade, He had been sowing seeds through my relationships, church, and His Word throughout my childhood years. However, only when my heart was centered on Jesus Christ and through the working of the Holy Spirit were these seeds able to take root. In light of this, let us ask the Holy Spirit to make our hearts like good, healthy soil –that it will allow His Word to take deep root.

Prayer: Father God, you know the innermost crevices of my heart and soul. Keep me from turning my heart away from You. Allow me to listen and follow Your voice today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 12

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Questions to Consider

1. What does it mean to be “crucified with Christ”?
2. Does Christ live in you today?
3. How can you live a life of faith and exemplify the love of Christ to those around you?

Notes

1. Being crucified with Christ means we are united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. 
2. Faith is required to live in Christ.
3. By dying with Christ, we are free from the law. 

---

Evening Reflection

Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

End the day by reflecting and putting your trust in God’s sovereignty.

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional was first posted on September 18, 2018.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Full Circle: Everything Comes Back to God”

Jeremiah 37:1-10 (NASB)

Zedekiah the son of Josiah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Judah, reigned instead of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. 2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. 3 King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray for us to the Lord our God.” 4 Now Jeremiah was still going in and out among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison. 5 The army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt. And when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem. 6 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet: 7 “Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: Thus shall you say to the king of Judah who sent you to me to inquire of me, ‘Behold, Pharaoh’s army that came to help you is about to return to Egypt, to its own land. 8 And the Chaldeans shall come back and fight against this city. They shall capture it and burn it with fire. 9 Thus says the Lord, Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go away. 10 For even if you should defeat the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men, every man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

I’ve been privileged to work closely with the pastor of my church who once challenged us by asking, “How often do we live as if God does not exist?” The absurdity of a godless worldview is so paternally obvious that Pastor Josh did not dwell on it too much; instead, he highlighted how Christians habitually succumb to the pressures of a society that has long forgotten God. As difficult as this was to hear, he rightly pointed out how often we fall short by ignoring the nudging of the Spirit to heed God and His eternal truth. 

In today’s passage, Jeremiah recounts how King Zedekiah would not listen to the word of God (v. 2). And it wasn’t until Judah was besieged that the king asked Jeremiah to pray to God on their behalf (v. 3). Essentially, only when Zedekiah’s back was against the wall did he turn to God. Christians are no different.  We are constantly buffeted by the push and pull of our secular world; and, too often, the pressures can become so great that we ignore our convictions, effectively living as if God wasn’t here. It is only when all the chips are down, like Zedekiah, that we turn to Him in submission. Everyone and everything will (Rom. 11:36). But, we ought to look to God first, rather than waiting for calamity. I pray we ponder on this together daily, reminding one another of Whom we are committed to.

We can also find comfort in the rest of the passage (Jer. 37:7-11). Here, Jeremiah receives word from God that the kingdom will be destroyed, just as previously proclaimed. God’s word will be done. Though this does not bode well for Zedekiah, the simple notion that God’s word will come to pass is most uplifting. 

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Rev. 21:3-4 [NASB]).

What could be more heartwarming than to realize what has been promised by God? Remember, regardless of the difficulties of the Christian life, God’s word is true. Everything starts and ends with Him.

This is the full circle.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word. I am so thankful that I can call You my foundation. Lord, I don’t ever want to live as if You aren’t here. Please remind me every single day of who You are, so I may, in turn, reflect who You are to others in how I live. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 11

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 11:36 (NASB): “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”

Questions to Consider

1. What does this short, yet powerful, passage mean?
2. What does the meaning of the passage imply?
3. Reflect your life in light of the message of this terse verse.

Notes

1. This passage is the declaration that “all things” find their origins in, are maintained by and ultimately return to God. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Judge of everything in existence. 
2. As the Creator of all things, God is the necessary precondition for anything to exist or occur. This includes, but is by no means limited to, the existence of the universe, life, logic, morale experience, etc. Without God at the beginning of everything, the world falls into absurdity. 
3. Personal response

---

Evening Reflection

In your personal quiet time with God, consider the enormity of His power and reach as He is described in Rom. 11:36. With this in mind, reflect on the idea that, although God has this immense power and influence, He also has the temperament described in Matt. 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.”

REPOST Todays’ AMI Devotional QT, first posted on September 12, 2018, is written by Pastor Ryun.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Average or Ideal Man: Who Would You Like for a Friend?”*  

Proverbs 18:24

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

2 Corinthians 5:18b: 

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Who wants to be average, right? We all have an image of the ideal “me” that serves a template for all that we do. So, here is how an average guy stacks up against the ideal guy as they both start the day: 

Charles, the ideal man, starts his day in a bathroom that is the size of a studio apartment. He grins approvingly as each shaving stroke uncovers a dashing look with no wrinkles. On the other hand, Chuck, the average guy, also begins his day in the bathroom. He doesn’t have much of a beard, so one quick lick with the old Gillette is all it takes.  Charles’ breakfast consists of French croissants with imported butter on the side and hazelnut coffee brewed on a Keurig coffee maker. He hops into his Tesla convertible and off he goes. As for Chuck, he gulps down some Honey Bunches of Oats for breakfast, then dashes off to the office in his aging Toyota Camry, dropping the kids off at school on the way.  

After a stimulating day’s work, Charles sprints to the Madison Square Club (annual membership—a cool $20,000) to give his already bulging biceps much needed workout, all in front of gigantic mirrors.  Towel around his neck, his sweat gleams and his hair is never out of place.  He smiles at a dazzling, slim brunette, doing Zumba.  After a smooth and confident introduction, the radiant couple slips off to the clubhouse bar. What a day! But what about Chuck?  Well, he goes home because he needs to take his kids to the little league, and then mows the lawn. He chuckles along with his wife and kids over supper (what, meat loaf again?), while talking mostly about how the day didn’t pan out as was hoped.  Then, he does the dishes.

Charles says, “I need to find myself,” so, he leaves his family for a younger woman, buys another Tesla—this time with wings (trust me, it’s coming) on credit—and searches for the Fountain of Youth so that he may stay young.  He is always busy doing his own thing and says that he’s sorry that he is not able to lend a hand when you were counting on him for his help. Chuck, on the other hand, sits with you after you lose your job.  He comes over when you need someone to help you move the couch.  And he will pray with you, for he is “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). 

Folks, the world isn’t as bad as it could be because there are a lot of average men and women who don’t mind doing the little and unglamorous things (1 Cor. 4:2).  The church of God is still standing because many average men and women of God faithfully serve without much fanfare.  So, who would you rather have as a friend? Or, who would you rather be? An ideal man who can’t take his eyes off on what is seen and temporary, or a faithful person who continues to fix his eyes on what is unseen and eternal? Our ultimate ideal person is Jesus; therefore, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross and scorning its shame . . .”—imitate Him (1 Cor. 11:1).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I praise You this day for Your wonderful and continuous provisions for me and my family.  Lord, teach me “to be content whatever the circumstances” so that instead of always trying to get more, that I will share what I have with my neighbors, to let them know that You love them as well. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 10

---

Lunch Break Study 

Read Colossians 3:1-4: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Questions to Consider

1. Paul directs his words to those who are “raised with Christ…” (v.1). What does it mean to be raised with Christ?
2. What does it mean to seek things that are above?
3. What do you spend most of your free time thinking about? Where do you get some of the things you think about? How can you spend more time seeking God’s Word instead?

Notes

1. Those who are raised with Christ are those who put their faith in Christ. By accepting Christ into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, we also share in His death and resurrection. 
2. We are to set our minds, reflect on, believe, and trust in the things of God. This is made clear in the gospel, but in general, we are to seek the Word, which reveals all the things of God.
3. These days, the ideal person gets his or her ideas from looking at social media like Instagram and Facebook. What about the average person? He or she doesn’t really have the time to sit idly in front of a small screen, thinking about ways to photoshop to make him or her look more fit and happy. What spare time they may have, they read the Bible to be reminded of Christ and His costly sacrifice on our behalf.    

---

Evening Reflection

Are there any areas of growth and/or victories you have gone through lately? Let’s give God thanks because we were able to do it through His power.

*The ideal man and average man comparison is loosely based on something I read in the 1980s.

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 24, 2017, is provided by Jabez Yeo. Jabez served in Remnant Church in Manhattan for many years.   

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Suffering Servant” 

Jeremiah 7:27-28

“So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 And you shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.’”

In times of prosperity, it can be easy to ignore certain warnings to one’s peril. Such was the case in the mid-2000s, when almost any American could qualify for a mortgage. Despite warnings from certain regulators and investors, the U.S. government failed to curb the excessive lending. Subsequently, America’s housing market collapsed, bankrupting many lenders and triggering a global financial crisis that lasted for years.  

Similarly, around 586 BC, the kingdom of Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians despite many warnings from the prophet—Jeremiah. While Judah was economically prosperous, there was deep spiritual decline because of the Judeans’ idolatry and disobedience. Undeterred, Jeremiah faithfully delivered God’s word to the unbelieving Judeans (Jer. 7:27-28) and to other nations (Jer. 46-51) amidst intense hardships. Consider the following about Jeremiah:

• He was set apart as a prophet to the nations (Jer. 1:5) but preached for about 40 years without witnessing much spiritual fruit or revival.
• He ministered to the last five kings of Judah but only one (Josiah) sincerely sought after God. The other four were either exiled or did evil (2 Chron. 36). 
• He was instructed to remain single and did not have children to carry on his name (Jer. 16:2);
• He endured great physical suffering, including torture (Jer. 20:2), unjust imprisonment (Jer. 37:14-15) and suffocation (Jer. 38:1-13). He was even physically abducted (Jer. 43:1-7).

Throughout this week, we will be reading Jeremiah 49-50, which contains some of Jeremiah’s prophecies to the nations. It may be tough for some of us to believe how prophecies to nations that are non-existent today apply to our personal lives. I myself struggled with writing these devotionals due to my lack of Old Testament knowledge. However, we can take comfort in the fact that these prophecies were given to a man who suffered tremendously for his faith and served as a precursor to the ultimate sufferer, Jesus Christ, the one who gave His life for us and was obedient to death (Phil. 2:5-11).  Let us trust that God will speak to us as we read His Word. 

Prayer: Father, I thank You that Your Word is applicable to our lives, just as it was to ancient civilizations throughout history. Thank You for believers like Jeremiah, who remind me that faithfulness to You and Your Word is possible even amidst great hardship. Build my life so that my character would be refined and that my faith would prove to be genuine no matter the situation. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 9

---

Lunch Time Study 

Read Hebrews 12:1-13: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed

Questions to Consider

1. At first glance, reading Hebrews 12:4-13 may seem especially harsh or militaristic. Why is this not so?

2. Jeremiah is surely in the great cloud of witnesses surrounding us today (Heb. 12:1). How can we persevere as he did?

3. Who are the witnesses in your life (living or dead) that you can gain encouragement from?

Note

1. Context is key. We are given these commands because there have been others who exhibited faith even in severe situations (Heb. 11). Furthermore, we are told that these same saints surround us today (Heb. 12:1), and that Christ Himself is at the right hand of God the Father (Heb. 12:2), interceding for us (Rom. 8:34). Thus, we are not running the race of faith alone.

2. The author encourages us to fix our eyes on Christ, just as Christ gained encouragement through remembering the joy set before Him during intense suffering (Heb. 12:2). We need to remind ourselves of the gospel each day, no matter what. 

3. Personal response.

---

Evening Reflection 

What setbacks did you face today? How did these events remind you about who’s really in control? Pray that God would help you surrender what is necessary so that your faith would be made stronger. 

REPOSTToday’s AMI Devotional, first posted on August 13, 2017,  is written by Mei Lan Thallman.  Mei Lan served faithfully at Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia for many years. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“He Restores My Soul”

James 4:7-10 

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

At the beginning of this summer, I felt wearied and fatigued, like a car that has been on a long distance nonstop travel.  My physical and emotional tanks were running on empty, warning lights flashing on all core components of my personhood.  After sending the kids to their grandparents’ farm for a week, I told my husband that I desperately needed an extended personal time with Jesus.

For three days I simply took the time to draw near in His presence through music, prayer, reading His word and lying prostrate on the floor in my living room.  Jesus faithfully and graciously met me where I was with His very presence.  He met me in the deepest recess of my soul and spirit as only He could.  I felt the Holy Spirit ministering to me so deeply that I had no words to respond, but simply surrendered to the flows of deep groaning with buckets of tears.  He was with me and He was restoring my soul.  

During those three days of personal retreat with Jesus, I kept on remembering the tender account of God’s providential care for the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19.  After experiencing God’s supernatural empowerment to defeat 450 false prophets of Baal and ending  3½ years of severe drought, Elijah’s battle weariness led him into a time of isolation, depression and self-pity.

Like a loving mother tenderly caring for her embittered and discouraged child, God met Elijah’s complaint and fatigue by sending angels repeatedly to provide him food and rest.  He simply loved on Elijah and restored him from the inside out. After being reminded and reaffirmed of where he belonged, Elijah was ready to continue the race with God.

Do you need to be reminded today of who you are and whose vessel you are?  Do you need to be reassured of His love for yourself and experience his restoration power?  Come to Him as you are and linger in His presence.  Come taste and see for yourself the goodness and sweetness of your Heavenly Father.

Prayer:  Father God, No one knows me like you and no one loves me and is able to meet my deepest needs like you. No one can restore me like you can. Please forgive me for substituting other people, things, activities and accomplishments to meet the needs of my soul.  Help me daily to draw near you and allow you to satisfy my needy soul.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 8

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on July 30, 2017, is provided by Jennifer Kim who served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

Psalm 100:1-5

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations

Two months into my one-year term in Shanghai, our church was wrapping up our weekly Sunday service when the police raided our church. As the police rushed into our meeting, our members did their best to make it appear like we were simply having a casual gathering; however, the police knew exactly what we were doing and immediately ordered us to stop. With my heart pounding in shock, I looked at the worried faces of the locals and the leadership, and it was in that moment when I finally began to understand what it meant that there’s a cost in following Jesus.

Upon David’s anointing to lead the chosen nation of Israel, King David’s life was filled with persecution. Right after he is anointed king, David defeats the great Philistine warrior, Goliath, and the women of the city sing a victory song that sings, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Sam. 18:7). It is a great, momentous moment; however, the minute Saul hears this song, it sets David up, for the next fifteen years of his life, to be on the run because Saul is jealous of the throne. It’s hard to see this as a coincidence that the moment David chooses to obey God’s call, he begins to face immense persecution. Nonetheless, King David, amidst all the turmoil, writes psalms of thanksgiving and worship to the Lord.

The apostles throughout the New Testament warn us that when we choose to follow after Christ, there will be a cost. But because we know that the “Lord is good, his loving-kindness is everlasting, and his faithfulness is to all generations” (Psalm 100:4-5), we can “shout joyfully to the Lord, serve the Lord with gladness; [and] come before Him with joyful singing” (Psalm 100:1-2).

Through the grace of God, none of our missionaries were sent back to the US and none of our members were flagged; however, we had to increase our security, take extra precaution, and scrounge around for a new place to meet for worship. Through divine connection the Lord provided us with a meeting place the following Sunday in a small garment shop where we had to fill every nook and cranny with chairs to fit everyone in; nevertheless, the worship that Sunday was one of the most powerful worship services we ever had. There was certainly a cost for our members to attend our church and follow after Jesus, yet they chose to proclaim the goodness and faithfulness of God and worshipped with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Today, on the Lord’s Day, no matter what struggle you are facing, whatever circumstance you are in, or whatever persecution you are enduring, I want to encourage you to remember God’s faithfulness in your life and His loving-kindness to you so that you can give full worship and thanksgiving to the Lord who is faithful.

Prayer: God, thank You for Your everlasting love and faithfulness that brought me from death to life. Help me to remember all that you have done in my life so that I may give thanksgiving and worship to You no matter the circumstance, for You are worthy of all praise, glory, and honor. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 6-7

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional, first posted on September 21, 2018, is written by Jin Ha Lee. Jin, a graduate of Drexel University, had served at Grace Covenant Church in Philadelphia for many years.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Listening Ear”

Jeremiah 38:17-20

Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: If you will surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. 18 But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.” 19 King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” 20 Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.” 

There was a season in my life when I sought advice from many different older brothers and sisters—I would go to this person to get his advice, call this person to get her perspective, and on-and-on. But, I had a problem. In going to many people, I wasn’t really hearing what they were saying, but I was looking for people to give the answer I wanted to hear.

King Zedekiah was had a similar problem. He sought Jeremiah for God’s Word multiple times and even heard what God said, yet he lacked faith. King Zedekiah was not seeking after an answer from the Lord to direct the course of his life—though he cared enough to seek it—but not enough to respond in faith to it.

The context of this passage was that the Babylonians had been temporarily deterred by the Egyptians. It was only a matter of time before the Babylonians would be at his doorsteps. In desperation Zedekiah sought out Jeremiah—again. Jeremiah gave a clear answer from the Lord: “…if you surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live….” It was actually a very gracious response to the mess that Zedekiah created by rebelling against Nebuchadnezzar who had set Zedekiah as king. He had the chance to save not only his life but his family and the city.

However, Zedekiah immediately responds that he’s scared of the deserters mistreating him. Maybe he felt that the Israelites would be upset at him and blame him for the loss, or he felt embarrassed for starting a conflict with the Babylonians that he couldn’t win. In any case, his fears spoke more loudly in his heart than God’s Word. He focused so much on his fears that he missed out on the chance to respond to God’s Word.

Going back to my story, the situation I was trying to handle blew up.  But through that experience I was humbled and learned to seek what God has to say through godly counsel more than what I wanted to hear. It was a very valuable lesson! Let’s ask ourselves this question:  Am I truly ready to listen and respond to God in faith when God speaks to me? Or am I just going to ignore His word if it’s not what I want to hear?

Prayer: Lord, we want to listen intently to Your Word. Would You please reveal Yourself to us and help us to know You intimately? Please help us to respond in faith, knowing that You are holy, loving, and good. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 5

---

Lunch Break Study

Read Acts 18:9-10: And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Questions to Consider

1. How did God reveal Himself to Paul during the hardships of missions?
2. What does Paul’s response show about what he believes about God?
3. How can we live by faith despite our fears or difficult scenarios?

Note

1. God revealed Himself by encouraging Paul in a vision. He told Paul not be afraid but to continue his mission for the gospel, knowing that God is with him and that He would protect him.  God also let Paul know that he was not alone but surrounded by believers. Up to this point Paul had already been persecuted by the Jews from Thessalonica who chased him out of Thessalonica and Berea.
2. Paul believed in the Lord and stayed at the city for one year and six months; he had faith that the Lord was with him. His response in 2 Corinthians showed that he believed that God’s grace was sufficient for him, even in difficulties and weaknesses.
3. Personal response. Zedekiah focused so much on his fears, instead of trusting in God, whereas, though Paul also faced difficult and costly situations throughout his mission trips, he focused on the Lord. Both of their actions showed where their faith was. I don’t think faith is a matter of rolling up our sleeves and blindly jumping headlong into situations in our own strength. Certain situations have legitimate concerns, costs, and fears. But, spending time with the Lord, seeking Him, being in an intimate relationship with Him and the church helps us to move forward in faith by His encouragement, grace, and love. We can ask God to show us and remind us of who He is, and that we could look at Him rightly and step forward despite the fears, difficulties, and weaknesses.

---

Evening Reflection

How has the Lord revealed Himself to you recently? Although different situations we face may bring about fear, hardship, or even apathy, we can find rest, strength, and joy in the Lord. Let’s ask the Lord to reveal Himself to us, and that we would grow in an intimate and genuine relationship with Him.