September 19, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time, first posted on September 19, 2018, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon who is the lead pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Thank the Lord for Timely Friends”

Jeremiah 38:7-13 (NIV)

But Ebed-Melek, a Cushite, an official in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate, 8 Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, 9 “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city.” 10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”11 So Ebed-Melek took the men with him and went to a room under the treasury in the palace. He took some old rags and worn-out clothes from there and let them down with ropes to Jeremiah in the cistern. 12 Ebed-Melek the Cushite said to Jeremiah, “Put these old rags and worn-out clothes under your arms to pad the ropes.” Jeremiah did so, 13 and they pulled him up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

Our family recently moved into a new place—but not without some resistance from our children. In our previous home, our children had developed lots of friendships around the neighborhood. They spent hours and hours with friends engaging in all sorts of fun activities, but in moving into a new home, my kids (particularly our 4th grade son, Nathan) knew that they’d have to start anew the daunting task of making new friends. Soon enough, as our boys began to explore the new neighborhood, they met few other boys who were just as interested in sports, video games, …sports, video games…and more sports and video games. =)  That afternoon, Nathan came back home with a big smile on his face and said to me, “Dad, Nick and Tommy are my friends now.” There’s something about good friendships that even children know to value in life. 

In this passage, Jeremiah was thrown into a well by the city’s officials. He had been warning of the impending doom of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonian Empire. God had revealed that the only chance for survival was to surrender. The public officials did not want the Jews to listen to Jeremiah’s prophecies, although the words came from God. So they approached King Zedekiah to obtain a permission to put away Jeremiah. The king, perhaps in despair or fear, barely raises any concern and says: “The king can do nothing to oppose you.” And the officials immediately arrest Jeremiah and leave him at the bottom of a well to die of starvation. Jeremiah was in a bleak and hopeless situation. 

However, God sends a “friend,” a Cushite, to foil the plans of the officials and rescues Jeremiah from the well (see https://www.gotquestions.org/Cushites.html). The Cushite could have been severely punished by King Zedekiah for going against the wishes of the officials as well as the king’s permission to put away Jeremiah. With courage, the Cushite changes the mind of the king and carries out a rescue plan in lifting Jeremiah out of the well.

At times, God sends a timely friend. This “friend” might not be someone who is popular with the crowds, nor wealthy. This “friend” might even have been overlooked as an insignificant person. Yet, their timely presence and the encouragement he/she brings may perhaps be the difference between despair and hope. 

Today, I’d like to encourage you to be that “friend” to others. 

Prayer: Lord, I thank You for the friendships in my own life. But today, lead me in extending Your friendship to those around me in my workplace, school, church, neighborhood, etc. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 4

Lunch Break Study

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

Questions to Consider

  1. What qualities does Jesus highlight in defining a friendship?  
  2. What separates a mere servant from a friend in God’s Kingdom? 
  3. What comparison does Jesus use in describing how we are to love others? 

Notes

  1. Jesus highlights the quality of laying down one’s life. He also highlights obedience to the command of loving others. 
  2. A servant is outside of God’s business plans, while a friend has been invited into knowing everything that Jesus had learned from the Father. 
  3. Jesus says that we are to love others as “I have loved you.” It’s a tall order. However, when the Spirit of Christ dwells in your heart, you are moved to love others as Jesus has loved us. 

Evening Reflection

How are you being a friend to those around you these days? In what practical ways can you show your friendship and encouragement to few people in your own life? 

September 18, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 17, 2018, is written by Esther Chailim. Esther, who serves at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Heart of Prayer”

Jeremiah 37:1-8

“Zedekiah son of Josiah was made king of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he reigned in place of Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim.2 Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. 3 King Zedekiah, however, sent Jehukal son of Shelemiah with the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah the prophet with this message: “Please pray to the Lord our God for us.” 4 Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison. 5 Pharaoh’s army had marched out of Egypt, and when the Babylonians who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they withdrew from Jerusalem. 6 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet: 7 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of me, ‘Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to support you, will go back to its own land, to Egypt. 8 Then the Babylonians will return and attack this city; they will capture it and burn it down.’”

As a teenager, I went through a rebellious stage and took out my frustration and bitterness on my mother.  Sadly, this ultimately put a strain in our relationship for years to follow.  However, several years after I became a believer, the Lord stirred my heart to pray for our relationship to heal.  Living 100 miles apart, I thought this was the least I could do. So, I began to pray for my mom’s salvation and for our relationship to be restored. I prayed that God would soften her heart so that she could know Jesus.  I prayed that God would give me patience and help me to love her as Christ loves her.  I prayed that somehow, He would miraculously heal our relationship.  But, as time passed, the tension in our relationship only deepened.  After visits home to see my mom, feelings of guilt arose as I realized how quickly I got agitated over miniscule things. Frustrated, I thought, “God, why aren’t you answering my prayers?  Why isn’t our relationship changing?  I don’t understand!” 

One day, as my mom and I were taking a stroll in the park, we got into a heated disagreement, leaving me feeling pretty down.  We parted ways and once again, I was left feeling both upset and guilty. Later that week, I felt the Lord pierce my heart where it hurt the most: my pride.  He revealed to me that my attitude towards my mom was sinful because up until that point, I had always felt justified in my actions towards her. And though I felt guilty, I wasn’t willing to let all the past hurts go.  In short, He revealed a new depth of my sin that I had never realized. 

In the passage today, we read about King Zedekiah asking Jeremiah for prayer. Threat was upon the king, and he was desperate for help.  Though the Lord had already prophesied Babylon’s defeat over Jerusalem (Jer. 21:4-7), Zedekiah ignored the Lord and still pleaded for a favorable outcome.  The problem is that the king was looking for circumstantial change, but unwilling to submit himself to hear from God (v. 2).  In turn, God did not answer Zedekiah’s prayer. 

My prayers for my mom, though earnest and seemingly “holy,” were no different than Zedekiah’s prayer.  In truth, I wanted my circumstances, that is, my mom, to change, but I wasn’t positioning myself to hear what God wanted to reveal about me.  It wasn’t until God disclosed my sin that I was able to finally hear from God and repent of my bitterness, judgement and pride.  Then, and only then, did I truly begin to see my relationship with my mom change; not because SHE changed, but because God changed me.  

Often times, we subconsciously come to prayer with a set agenda.  We pray for people and things to change, and yet we forget that we need to be changed. I still struggle with this, but more and more, I realize that prayer is not about changing circumstance; prayer is about changing us.  The question is, do we allow God to mold and shape us through prayer?  

Prayer:  Lord, You are in control, not me.  Help me to lay aside my own plans and surrender them to You.  I invite You, Holy Spirit, to come and speak into the areas of my life that are self-seeking. Help me to be God-centered and continue to shape and mold me to be more like Jesus. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 66:16-20: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. 17 I cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; 19 but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. 20 Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!

Questions to Consider

  1. How can we posture ourselves in prayer? 
  2. What is one reason God does not answer prayer? 
  3. In respect to #2, does this mean that we have to be sinless for God to hear my prayers? 

Notes

  1. One way we can posture ourselves in prayer is to have reverence for God, acknowledging that He is the one in control and we are subject to His good will and purpose. Secondly, we can posture ourselves with praise on our tongues.
  2. King David reveals that one hindrance in God’s willingness to hear our prayers is when we continue to walk in sin and do not repent of those sins. We can’t live a consistently sinful lifestyle and expect God to hear our prayers. 
  3. In verse 18, David uses the phrase, “if I had cherished sin.”  Though it is true that we are sinners, even after we become Christians, David’s use of the word “cherished” indicates the kind of sin we hold on to and are unwilling to let go of.  God isn’t expecting us to be sinless, but He does call us to face our sins and confess them. 

Evening Reflection

Reflect on some of the things you are currently praying for.  Ask yourself if you are having a right heart posture as you pray for these things?  Are you allowing God to speak to you and change you, or are you just praying for circumstances to change?  Take some time to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your heart motive.  

September 17, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted March 6, 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

“The Wilderness”

Mark 1:9-15 (ESV)

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. 14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

Each of the four Gospels begins with differing point of views and emphasis according to each author and audience.  The Gospel of Mark begins the story of Jesus Christ, not by tracing His genealogy down a long list of names or even going back to a certain point in time, but it begins with a location.  From the vantage point of this particular Gospel, I believe the Spirit of God is interested in teaching us that the gospel had its beginnings in the wilderness.   And as we recognize this theme being played out here in this first chapter of Mark, we need to ask ourselves what is the significance of the wilderness.

First, the wilderness represents a separation from the world and a departure from the ungodliness of men.  If you have ever gone camping in a very remote location, you will be amazed by the difference that you feel.  I remember taking a youth group out to the Sequoia National Forest and taking them to a trailhead at the highest elevation, and hiking in about 15 miles into this very remote camping site.  There was no water, no lights, no phone service, and no people.  During the three days we were there, I felt utterly separated from the world.  In a similar way, when you receive the gospel, you realize that it calls you out of the world, away from its distractions, and away from its sin.

Second, the wilderness represents a place of new beginnings and a place of hope.  In the early part of American history, many people went out West into the wilderness in order to start life anew.  Most of the people that moved West, into the unknown frontier, came from the poorer class of American society.  The rich and the elite had no reason to go out into the wilderness, but for the poor, the discouraged, and those without hope, the wilderness represented a place of great opportunity—a chance for a new beginning.   The gospel represents exactly the same thing for every single person who believes.  It holds out for us the promise of a new beginning, a reason to hope. 

Finally, the wilderness represents a place of intimacy with God and restoration of our relationship with Him.  The Scriptures present the wilderness with a sense of romantic nostalgia—a harsh and dangerous place, yet a place where God’s people were wholly dependent on Him.  Oftentimes when you look at things in hindsight, you focus on the good and overlook the bad.  This is essentially what God does with His people’s time in the wilderness.  In passages like Jeremiah 2:2, God remembers with fondness the close relationship that He had with His people and states, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness.”  There is a special place in God’s heart for our seasons in the wilderness, because it’s the place where He first courted us, and where we first learned to respond to His love by following Him with a simple devotion.   This morning, if you are going through a personal time in the wilderness, count it a blessing! 

Prayer: Father, as Your Spirit led Your Son into the wilderness, we know that You will lead us into our own times in the wilderness.  Help us to see that it is because of Your great love for us that You bring us into these seasons of our lives.  In those times, give us the strength to overcome the sins of the world, the faith to believe in new beginnings, and the courage to depend solely on Your love.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Nehemiah 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Hosea 2:14-20 (ESV): “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 15 And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. 16 And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. 18 And I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground. And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. 19 And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. 20 I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Why does God desire to draw His people back into the wilderness?
  2. What is the significance of the Valley of Achor?
  3. What are the conditions of the New Covenant with God?

Notes

  1. The reason why God allures his people back to the wilderness is for the sake of love.  Even though we give Him no reason to offer us redemption, but, in fact, give Him every reason to reject us, God grants His salvation to people for reasons that are entirely found within His own heart.    
  2. The Valley of Achor is where Achan was stoned to death for rebelling against God by taking the loot from the conquest of Jericho in Joshua 7.  This act of greed was explicitly forbidden by God and it brought on His wrath.  In calling the Valley of Achor a door of hope, God is reversing the curse of disobedience and in the place of trouble; He offers hope.     
  3. The condition of our New Covenant with God is to be betrothed to Him in righteousness and justice, and with steadfast love and mercy.  As you can see, all of these requirements are provided by God and is the bride-price paid by Christ’s death on the cross.  The seal of the New Covenant is God’s faithfulness—which ensures that each of these requirements will be met by God Himself.       

Evening Reflection

How has God revealed His love for you today?  Take time to consider how God draws us to Himself during the course of our daily lives.  Did you take time to respond to God’s love when you sensed Him calling?  Allow God’s kindness to lead you to a time of repentance.  

September 16, Monday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on December 26, 2017, is provided by Phillip Chen who is associate pastor at Kairos Christian Church in San Diego. Phil is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Circle of Lies”

Genesis 31:17-21 (ESV)

So Jacob arose and set his sons and his wives on camels. 18 He drove away all his livestock, all his property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to the land of Canaan to his father Isaac. 19 Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. 20 And Jacob tricked Laban the Aramean, by not telling him that he intended to flee. 21 He fled with all that he had and arose and crossed the Euphrates,  and set his face toward the hill country of Gilead.

In Quantico, a TV show that I recently started watching, the setting of the story is at The Farm—a covert training facility for the CIA, where the CIA operative recruits are trained to deceive others and develop alternative personalities for their missions. It’s insane to think that there are people who can be so skilled at deception, to the point where you could not tell their true story from their cover story. Though you and I may not be professional liars, it’s probably fair to say that we’ve told our share of white lies. 

As we continue on in this story, Jacob is currently fleeing from Laban; he deceives Laban by not telling him that he intended to flee. However, after a few days, Laban is told that Jacob had fled, so he takes his people and chases after him for seven days and finally catches up to Jacob. Laban is furious at Jacob, and in their confrontation, he mentions that he is most angry that Jacob had stolen his household gods. Jacob denies it, but little does he know that Rachel had stolen the household gods as they were leaving. Let’s call it as it is—this is a messed up family! There is so much deceit involved. If you recall, in Genesis 29, Jacob serves seven years for Rachel’s hand in marriage, but finds out that Laban has deceived him by giving him Leah instead. Thus, he works another seven years for Rachel. Laban deceives Jacob, Jacob deceives Laban, Rachel deceives both Jacob and Laban—the cycle of deception never seems to end.

This passage is a reflection of the ugliness of human sin that breeds distrust and deception. We have seen the destructive nature of deceitfulness and can even share firsthand of experiences in our own relationships with those around us. In fact, it seems as if many of us are unable to share vulnerably and openly with others in the family of God, because of the distrust and deception we might have experienced within our own churches. It might even seem hopeless, as this is human nature, but nevertheless, we have hope in the Holy Spirit who dwells within us.

In light of this Christmas season, we look to Jesus—who “committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22).  This Jesus was the perfect man who died on our behalf, so that we would have His Spirit of Truth dwell within us, compelling us to live a life of truth rather than deceit. 

Prayer: Father God, I ask that Your Holy Spirit purify my lips, that I may be a voice of truth rather than a voice of deceit. Help me to be one who speaks the truth in love, modeling after Your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 1

Lunch Break Study

Read John 16:13-15 (ESV): When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Question to Consider

1. Read John 16:1-15:  what is the context and setting of this passage?

2. Why is the Holy Spirit described as the “Spirit of truth”? 

3. What truth is the Spirit trying to remind you as we reach the end of 2017?

Notes

1. Jesus is nearing the end of his earthly ministry and is preparing His disciples for what is to come. He is telling them of this Spirit whom they would receive in place of Him—a Helper who would be the exact same help that Jesus was to them.   

2. I think there lies a deep meaning in the fact that the Holy Spirit is referred to as the Spirit of truth, whereas Satan is referred to as the Father of lies. The Holy Spirit leads us in truth and speaks truth to those that will hear, whereas Satan’s aim is to lie and deceive.   

3. Personal response

Evening Reflection

What are ways that you have hurt others or been hurt by others through deception? If anyone or any situation comes to mind, ask God to give you the courage and strength to reconcile with others. Allow the Spirit of Truth to speak freely into the situation.  

September 15, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on August 6, 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

Daily Bread

Exodus 16:15b-20 

“Moses said to them, “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. 16 This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’” 17 The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18 And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed. 19 Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” 20 However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.”

 Every so often, my roommate and I will find ourselves with a plethora of snacks left in our apartment – either gifts from other people or food that we purchased for the occasion. Over time, the snacks still get stale no matter how many preservative chemicals have been added to keep them fresh.  We have to throw them out before anybody else comes over and wants to eat them. While they might be barely edible and non-toxic, they’re no longer fresh and enjoyable.

I have often found myself doing something similar with God’s blessings. Instead of approaching God’s word to learn something new each day, I’ll just reflect on something I already know from the week or month prior. Instead of asking God to grow my faith, I’ll allow a significant experience from the past to become the focal point of my relationship with Him. By overemphasizing and over-relying on what God has done in the past, I fail to be open to new things from Him, and I fail to be expectant that He can do even greater things than in the past.

God’s message to the Israelites of how they must seek Him constantly was physically backed up by this demonstration through manna, the bread from heaven that would become inedible in a short span of time: There is enough for today.  There will be even more tomorrow. But, we cannot live on what we gathered yesterday – yesterday’s portion is rarely suitable for today. The same concepts apply to our spiritual life. Each day we are to seek Him freshly; each day we are to expect that He, in love, will provide for us. We cannot keep going off what we have tasted from the past – if we want to grow and thrive, we will need to receive newly from Him.

After a while, even the best of our old experience with God will grow cold and stale. Let’s not live on yesterday’s grace when God has an abundance in store for us. Today, as we come before Him in the sanctuary, let’s remember that our Father is infinitely rich and has all things at His disposal. When we approach Him, we can be sure that He will send new grace, new sustenance, and new mercies. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your endless provision in our lives. Lord, we confess that, out of fear, we keep returning to the things we’ve received and sometimes stop asking for more of You. Help us stop clinging to hindsight and look forward to what You are able to do in our lives. Grow anticipation, expectation, and firm trust in Your goodness and Your love! 

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 16

September 14, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on April 15, 2017, is written 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 Thoughts For This Morning

Don’t Just Do Something… Sit There

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

According to Barna Research, after conducting a national survey with the question, “Do you read the Bible at least once a week?” The Baby Boomer generation (55+) chimed in at 49%. The Millennials were the lowest group, coming in at 24%. Now I don’t know how exact those numbers are, but one thing I can say with confidence: we are currently living in the least bible-reading generation since the printing press made Bible available to the public. 

Ironically, our information intake has skyrocketed. A study done eight years ago showed that the average person consumes about 100,000 words a day. Since then, with the explosion of social media, that number has grown to around 150,000. Despite the 50% increase in information we are soaking in, we are reading the Word less and less.

But not all of this is necessarily due to an antagonistic view towards God’s Word. Most people (including Christians) simply don’t read books anymore. Our culture is shifting away from reading books, and moving towards fast-paced articles, snippets, designed to give us an adrenaline shot of information. Perhaps we need to take a cue from Mary. Despite the pressures of all the things she needed to accomplish, and the fast-paced lifestyle exemplified by her sister Martha, she slowed down and sat at Jesus’ feet. 

The truth is, in this fast-paced, information saturated culture, unless we learn to slow down and sit at Jesus’ feet, listening/reading His Word… we will inevitably miss out on the intimacy of knowing God in the stillness. Today, spend some time slowing down and spending time in stillness at the feet of Jesus. 

Prayer: Holy Spirit, help me to slow down for the sake of sitting at your feet. Help me to see that although there may be a lot of good things going on around me, only “one thing is necessary” and that is to know you. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 14-15

September 13, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 12, 2018, is written by Tina Pham who, along with her family, is serving in E. Asia as a missionary. Tina is a graduate of Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Two Lives Lived Differently: Jeremiah and Pashhur”  

Jeremiah 20:1-4, 6

When Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, 2 Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the stocks that were at the upper Benjamin Gate, which was by the house of the Lord. 3 On the next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “Pashhur is not the name the Lord has called you, but rather Magor-missabib. 4 For thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am going to make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies. 6 And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house will go into captivity; and you will enter Babylon, and there you will die and there you will be buried, you and all your friends to whom you have falsely prophesied.’”

In this morning’s passage, we get to see how Pashhur the priest finishes his life. Pashhur had great influence being the chief officer in the temple of the Lord. However, his role in Jerusalem did not spare him from the destruction and years of exile that Judah was about to face. After hearing of Jeremiah breaking the clay jar as a message to Judah of impending judgment, Pashhur was angry at Jeremiah and put him in prison overnight. After a painful and humiliating night, Jeremiah was released and foretold Pashhur the terrible pain he was about to experience. He would not only be taken into exile along with Judah, but he and his household would also die in exile. The main reason for a painful end to his life is that he falsely prophesied to many people while being entrusted with the role as a priest. The words he spoke stuck with many of his friends, and they also would be buried in exile. 

The name Pashhur means “ease, tranquility,” and the name that the Lord is now giving him is Magor-missabib, which means “terror on every side.” Pashshur’s ministry for a length of time brought him great ease and freedom as his hearers like what he prophesied. Though his words sounded good to them, they were false prophecies resulting in blindness towards the uncomfortable, yet true words of God and the need to repent and return to the Lord. As a result of opposing God and misleading God’s people, Pashhur now faces the terror of the exile.  

In contrast, though Jeremiah faced overwhelming opposition in fulfilling God’s call, he treasured God’s message in his heart and was faithful to proclaim it in his lifetime. In a previous passage, Jeremiah proclaimed to God regarding the unpopular message he would have to say to Judah, “Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jer. 15:16). This morning, let us consider the example of Jeremiah, who persevered in following God’s call in the midst of unease and hardship.  

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You that You have called me by Your name to be in a relationship with You and to fulfill a special purpose in my lifetime. Increase my strength to complete the work that You have entrusted to me, and enable me to persevere faithfully until the end. In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 13

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22: Do not quench the Spirit;do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Questions to Consider

1. Why did Paul emphatically instruct them not to quench the Spirit?

2. Why is it important not to despise prophetic utterances?

3. How does Paul instruct the Thessalonians to respond to those who give words of prophecy?

Notes

1. Evidently, some people in the church displayed the attitude of despising prophecy. A likely reason is that some people in their midst had misused the gift in some way, leading to hardened hearts; therefore, they wanted to get rid of prophetic utterances altogether. 

2. When we despise or resist prophetic utterances, we quench (put out, extinguish) the work of the Holy Spirit in our midst. The Holy Spirit has given prophecy as a gift to the church to build up the church. 

3. He instructs them to examine and to discern, instead of to reject. To discern means to recognize that there are both genuine prophetic utterances that the Holy Spirit gives to church members, but there are also utterances that are not from the Holy Spirit. The key is to discern the words in light of the truth of Scripture. If the utterances and the one speaking exudes the fruit of the Spirit, then that is “good” and we must hold fast to it; otherwise, we shouldn’t tolerate anything that doesn’t align with the truth of Scripture or reflect the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control).  

Evening Reflection

1 Peter 4:13: “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

September 12, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 17, 2016, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California. Pastor Ulysses is a graduate of New York University (BA) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“If You Return …”

Jeremiah 4:1-2

“If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, 2 and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.”

There was a period in my life, probably around 12 or 13 years of age, when I used to go to a strategy gaming club every Sunday. To say that I loved turn-based strategy games would be an understatement. It was my Sunday ritual—my “church” before I started going to church. As an adult, I still love these games but have also come to see that they can be a time drain and can get in the way of getting other important things done. This became all the more so when some of my favorite games appeared in online form; now there was no need to look for someone to play with—the worldwide online community was available 24/7. This tension came to a climax in my early twenties, when I felt like my love for strategy games was competing with my commitment to God. I felt the need for change but stopped short of actually doing anything about it. I would acknowledge that my hobby was getting out of hand, that I was probably even addicted, and even pray about it, confessing my poor stewardship of time to God—yet nothing changed. The reason for this was simple: I felt bad, but not bad enough to actually remove the source of the addiction.

In today’s passage, God gives us a lesson on what real repentance is: “If you return” means you also have to “remove your detestable things from my presence.” Israel’s failure time and again to “remove the high places,” that is, the places of idol worship on the hilltops and mountaintops, would lead to them being ensnared in worship of false gods again and again. Their revival might have seemed genuine at the time, but it was only a matter of time before the cancer on the high places spread back down to village life. This is why Hezekiah is remembered as such an important reformer—not only did he remove the idols from the Temple complex, but he even removed those pesky high places.

If there are “high places” in your life, chances are you know what they are. True change comes from not only admitting them but taking decisive action to remove the source of temptation from your life. For this, accountability is key. Invite a trusted brother or sister or two to journey to your high places with you and start smashing some sacred stones.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to get rid of whatever is tripping me up in my relationship with You. Convict my heart that nothing is worth getting in the way of our relationship. Help me to make tough decisions and bring people into my life who can help me remove the high places. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 12

Lunch Break Study  

Read Mark 10:17-22: And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Questions to Consider

1. If the rich young man was so good at keeping commandments, why didn’t he think that he was worthy of eternal life?

2. Does Jesus’ command to the young man mean that we also need to give away everything we have? How does this apply to us?

3. What was Jesus’ attitude towards the young man when He commanded him to sell everything? How should this encourage us?

Notes

1. There was another god in his life: money.  And he could feel it weighing on his soul.

2. Whatever it is that we are not willing to give away is what Jesus would have us give away.

3. He loved him. Whatever it is that God is asking you to surrender, you can do so in faith because you know that His motivation towards you is love.

Evening Reflection

Take a moment to reflect upon your day. What were the moments of tension or conflict that you experienced in your heart? Do you notice a pattern that might reveal something that has mastery over your heart?

September 11, Wednesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 11, 2018, is provided by Pastor David Yoon. David served as the executive pastor at Tapestry Church, Los Angeles. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Step of Faith”

2 Kings 5:8-14

“But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.”9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.”

When I was 13 years old, I went on my first short term mission trip to China and South Korea. Towards the end of our trip, we visited a memorial for Reverend Son Yang-won. Rev. Son is remembered as a martyr of love who embraced the burden of colonial oppression and war. At his memorial, I saw a large painting of Rev. Son embracing the communist soldier who killed his two sons whom he later adopted. But the painting that really caught my attention was the one that showed Rev. Son removing blood from the infected wounds of lepers with his mouth. I had learned about leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, in Sunday school but it was my first time seeing how terrible the disease was. The paintings and the love of Christ that was practiced by Rev. Son would leave a lasting impression on my life. 

In today’s passage, we read about Naaman, a great commander of the Syrian army, who had wealth, power, and popularity. But one day, a physician told him what no person would want to hear: “You have leprosy.” In those days, leprosy, a highly contagious disease, had no cure. 

However, a little Israelite girl, who served his wife, tells Naaman about Elisha, a prophet in Samaria who could cure him. Entrusting her words, Naaman goes to Elisha’s house, but he is enraged when the prophet has his servant tell the general to wash himself in the river Jordan seven times. In response Naaman becomes resentful but why? Is he merely being prideful?  Certainly so but have you considered this: The moment this proud general takes off his armor, everyone can see his disfigured flesh—the source of his deepest pain and shame. This is to say, everyone around Naaman who respected this mighty warrior would see him in his weakest state—naked and diseased.

Many of us can relate to Naaman because we, too, have deep pains we would rather keep hidden—the very wounds we have tried to mask with different remedies (e.g., success, accomplishment, relationships, etc.) so that others around us cannot see them. In light of this, let us hear the words of Christ, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” May we take a step of faith and ask the Great Physician to come into the deep crevices of our wounds—to bring healing, restoration, and renewal. 

Prayer: Father God, thank You for always being patient with me even when I am stubborn in my own ways. May I humble myself today and come before You just as I am. I ask that You heal my pain and brokenness. Allow me to be sensitive to Your leading today and give me the strength and courage to uproot whatever is preventing me from experiencing Your peace and joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 11

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Questions to Consider

  1. How is our inner self being renewed day by day?
  2. How can Paul say that his momentary affliction is light?
  3. What should we fix our eyes on?

Notes

  1. On a physical level, we are all moving toward death. As we wait for our physical existence to be renewed when Christ returns, Paul writes that day by day, the ministry of the Holy Spirit is renewing our inward self.
  2. Paul is writing that the difficulties of this life are minor when compared to the weight of our eternal salvation.
  3. Paul writes that we should focus our eyes on what is unseen—our future salvation in Christ.

Evening Reflection

Ask the Holy Spirit to renew your heart and spirit. The enemy will use fear and fatigue for us to lose heart. Ephesians 6:10-11 says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” 

September 10, Tuesday

Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 17, 2018, is provided by Pastor Andrew Kim who pastors the Alive Church in Montreal, Canada. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Cleansing”

Mark 11:15-19 

And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 16 And he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. 17 And he was teaching them and saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching. 19 And when evening came they went out of the city.

The story of Jesus cleansing the temple has always been one of my favorite stories in the Gospels. It’s a picture of Jesus unlike any other. Oftentimes, we imagine Jesus to be someone who is always peaceful and calm, and yet, here, in Mark we see a display of Jesus’ anger—not only communicated through words, but by the overturning of tables and physically driving people out of the temple! I remember being shocked when I first read about the temple cleansing. Was Jesus even allowed to react this way? Why is this story in the Gospel accounts? 

However, when we study the text closely, we see that it was an appropriate reaction. The question that must be posed is, “What made Jesus so angry?” Many of us point to the fact that there was a marketplace set up in the temple courts. Since it is the house of God, commercial activity would be inappropriate. Others suggest that a marketplace was necessary, because people had to buy animals to offer their sacrifices; but what angered Jesus was the unjust manner in which business was done by the temple officials. I would suggest that these conclusions are only half-correct. 

When we read Jesus’ response in verse 17, we are offered a clue to the reason for His anger. He says, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?” Here Jesus is quoting Isaiah 56:7, which prophetically spoke of a day when people from all nations would be gathered in the temple of God as His people. In other words, salvation would be offered even to those outside of the nation of Israel. You see, the original vocation of the Jews was not to enjoy the blessings of God by themselves but to be a conduit of those blessings to the world around them—that people might proclaim Yahweh as God. This was the purpose of the Abrahamic covenant. 

 However, instead of living into that vocation, they were setting up a noisy marketplace in the only area of the temple where Gentiles were allowed to worship. Instead of cultivating an atmosphere conducive for people from all nations to encounter the living God, they were using it as a place of commerce. In other words, instead of a house of prayer for all nations, they turned it into a den of robbers.

Simply put, Jesus was angered by Israel’s failure to live out their calling to be the light to the nations. His anger was fueled by His passion for missions; it was something taken extremely seriously by Jesus. And the question we have to ask ourselves is, “Do we have the same passion for God’s mission? Have we also forgotten our vocation to be the light to the nations as the church?” Just like Israel, many of us have often neglected this calling. It only becomes a focal point of our lives during the summer when we venture out with our short-term mission teams. However, we must remember that we have been saved by God to be a light to those around us. Let us remember this calling and not neglect it like Israel! Let us pray and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not know Him all the days of our lives!

Prayer: Father, forgive me for neglecting the calling You have given me as a missionary. Help me to live out this vocation faithfully and to have a heart for those who are far away from You. 

Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 10

Lunch Break Study 

Read 1 Peter 2:9-10: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Questions to Consider 

  1. What is the reason that God has called and saved His people? 
  2. Have you lived out your identity as someone that is part of the royal priesthood and holy nation? 

Notes 

  1. He called and saved His people to proclaim the excellencies of Him. Our salvation is not only for our own benefit, but He has given us a vocation to proclaim and share the gospel message to the world around us—to tell the story of God calling people out of darkness into His marvelous light. 
  2. Personal response.

Evening Reflection 

Consider this statement made by Leslie Newbigin, a missionary from England who serviced in India for forty years: 

“Mission begins with a kind of explosion of joy. The news that the rejected and crucified Jesus is alive is something that cannot possibly be suppressed. It must be told. Who could be silent about such a fact? The mission of the Church in the pages of the New Testament is like the fallout from a vast explosion, a radioactive fallout which is not lethal but life-giving.”