June 6, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on June 29, 2017. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought For This Morning

“The Glory That Is To Come”

Revelation 11:15-19

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

“We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Now is the perfect time to pause and really think about the glory to come when the Kingdom of God is here in its fullness. If you’ve been tracking with us through Revelation, by the time you’ve finished chapter 11, you may have let out a huge exhale after reading about the strife and painful anticipation in the chapters leading up to it. Furthermore, if you’ve been doing the Christian life long enough, you have likely experienced your own longing for what’s described in the verses above. The two words in these verses that I strike me most are “has become” in verse 15. This idea that all of the things in this world, all our pain and suffering, all our faithfulness and obedience, all our ups and downs, all of it, every single part, are becoming something – something beautiful and abundant for those who fear God – really leaves me speechless.

An excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce: “‘That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. …‘Ah, the Saved… what happens to them is best described as the opposite of a mirage. What seemed, when they entered it, to be the vale of misery turns out, when they look back, to have been a well; and where present experience saw only salt deserts, memory truthfully records that the pools were full of water.’”

If you have read quickly through the passage for today, take a moment to slow it down and read them again. No matter what we are presently going through—the good and the bad—we should overflow with praise when we take time to think and begin to picture the incredible work God is doing and the unimaginably delightful end toward which we are headed as His people. May we take time today to really meditate on the promises of God and the truths we know about His coming Kingdom and allow our hearts to be filled with worship and hope.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are truly awesome and worthy to be praised. As Paul articulated so well in 1 Corinthians 2:9, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what You have prepared for those who love You. Give me a more vivid picture of Your coming Kingdom today and allow that picture to fill my heart with hope and worship. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Isaiah 65:17-25: For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.
18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.
19 “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.
20 “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.
21 “They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 “They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.
23 “They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the Lord,
And their descendants with them.

24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.

Questions to Consider

In the biblical text, the word “for” often points to purpose, reason (explanation), or result. According to vv. 18-19, what is God creating His people for (i.e. for what purpose, to what end, for what reason)?
What are some of the things God promises in this new creation He is making? What does this tell us about the kind of God we serve and the kind of existence He wants for His people?
Read through this passage once more. What strikes you most from the text and why? In what specific ways are you encouraged or challenged as you think upon these verses?

Notes

God is creating His people for rejoicing and gladness! And He himself wants to participate in it! While so many of us walk around with a negative or overly stoic view of God, here we get to see His merriment and His delight. God creates His people for joy—that’s their chief end and where He is taking them.
While the theology around this passage gets a little complicated (esp. when trying to pinpoint the exact fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophetic words), it does paint a picture for us of just how good a Father and Creator God is and what kind of existence He wants for those He calls His own. Some things to note about the new creation: death will lose its power, the people will enjoy and delight in the work of their hands/their blessings from God (e.g. their homes, the crops, etc.), their offspring will be a godsend and be righteous instead of being full of calamity, God will hear and respond to their needs before they even call, and there will be peace where not previously possible (e.g. between the wolf and the lamb).
Spend some time in personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce has been for me the greatest human fumbling at describing the reality of Heaven and Eternity. Let’s read a little more of the brief excerpt from this text that we read this morning:

“‘That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory. And of some sinful pleasure they say “Let me have but this and I’ll take the consequences’: little dreaming how damnation will spread back and back into their past and contaminate the pleasure of sin. Both processes begin even before death. The good man’s past begins to change so that his forgiven sins and remembered sorrows take on the quality of Heaven: the bad man’s past already conforms to his badness and is filled only with dreariness. And that is why, at the end of all things, when the sun rises here and the twilight turns to blackness down there, the Blessed will say ‘We have never lived anywhere except Heaven,’ and the Lost, ‘We were always in Hell.’ And both will speak truly.’ …‘Ah, the Saved… what happens to them is best described as the opposite of a mirage. What seemed, when they entered it, to be the vale of misery turns out, when they look back, to have been a well; and where present experience saw only salt deserts, memory truthfully records that the pools were full of water.’”

While remembering the end encourages the faithful, it should also serve as a warning for the unfaithful. And truth be told, there is a little faithfulness and unfaithfulness in all of us. What are the areas in your life where you declare in your own way, “Let me have but this and I’ll take the consequences?” Spend some time in repentance before God offering those areas to Him, remembering that you are ultimately trading trash for treasure.

June 5, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 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

“Murphy Was Wrong!”

Genesis 41:14

Pharaoh sent for Joseph at once, and he was quickly brought from the prison. After he shaved and changed his clothes, he went in and stood before Pharaoh. 15 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream last night, and no one here can tell me what it means. But I have heard that when you hear about a dream you can interpret it.”16 “It is beyond my power to do this,” Joseph replied. “But God can tell you what it means and set you at ease.”

You might have already heard of Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” While the so-called law doesn’t exactly come from the Bible, it appears that Murphy wasn’t completely off base when we examine the life of Joseph. As if being sold into slavery by his own brothers wasn’t bad enough, Joseph was thrown into jail on false charges as a result of his faithfulness to God at Potiphar’s house. There, after meeting two prisoners who had served as Pharaoh’s chief baker and cupbearer, Joseph was able to interpret their dreams. He hoped he would be remembered by the cupbearer whose dream of freedom he had interpreted correctly, but “the chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him” (Gn. 40:23). Joseph waited two more years before being remembered and then summoned to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Always spiritually alert no matter what the circumstances, Joseph attributes his gifting to God. And this is where Joseph’s life parts company with Murphy’s Law: after interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, he is lauded for his wisdom and appointed second in command of Egypt.

Even though we know Joseph’s happy ending, we can’t help but wonder what he thought as each day passed. As doubts crept into Joseph’s mind, he returned to the promises of God as his only hope. It was not the promise that he would one day rule over others as his dream predicted, but he clung to the hope of a faithful and trustworthy God. In fact, it appears that Joseph had long forgotten the dream, for it was when he saw his brothers for the first time in over 20 years that “he remembered his dreams about them” (Gn. 42:8).

What waiting period do you find yourself in today? Let’s return the promises of God when we are waiting and tempted to lose hope. As our hope is restored, we find strength to be faithful in our present circumstances. God continuously shapes and molds our character in the seasons of waiting. We saw how God used that waiting period to shape Joseph from a proud and impetuous boy, to a wise and humble man. When Joseph rose to power, he was no longer proud; but his faith was solidly founded on the One who had not failed him.

Prayer: God, I confess that I feel weak and hopeless in my season of waiting. Lift my eyes above the mountains to the One who can move them. Thank you for the unconditional love demonstrated on the cross. Remind me that You are working in my time of waiting.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Genesis 21:1: The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. 2 She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. 3 And Abraham named their son Isaac. 4 Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

Questions to Consider

1. Who kept his word?

2. Who decreed the timing of Isaac’s birth?

3. What can we learn about our own character and God’s character during our waiting?

Notes

1. The Lord kept His word, and did exactly what He promised in bringing Abraham and Sarah a child.

2. Verse 2 says Isaac’s birth happened at just the time God said it would.

3. 25 years had passed between God’s promise to Abraham in Gen 12 to Isaac’s birth in Genesis 21. God was refining Abraham’s character in that time, as had always trusted in his own schemes rather than in God’s promises. Abraham learned that God is trustworthy and His way is better than what we have planned in our own efforts.

Evening Reflection

Lord, remind me of what You are doing in my waiting season. You are refining my faith and shaping my character to reflect Christ. Remind me that waiting is not purposeless, and that there is joy coming in the end. Jesus’ death and resurrection shows me that You are for me and with me. Amen.

June 4, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on July 4, 2017, is provided by Andy Kim who is the Lead Pastor of Radiance Christian Church in San Francisco. Andy is a graduate of Northwestern University (B.S.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Finding Your Brand . . . in Him”

Revelation 14:9-11

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

We live in a world driven by branding. In fact, business experts show us that NIKE has taken the lead in the sports industry because of their branding strategy—spending over $1 billion a year in advertising alone. From the mundane, such as what we wear, to the more significant, such as where we work, it’s all about the name. It’s amazing how a small piece of accessory with the word NIKE on it can be priced 10x higher than a non-name brand, even though it is pretty much the same thing! Even more importantly, it’s so easy for us to tie our identity to the name of the school we graduate from or the company we work for. In fact, experts emphasize the importance of “finding your brand” and “selling/marketing yourself ” as the way to success. Now, striving for such things is not bad in and of itself; however, when we allow these things to claim our identity, we become subject to the very products of this world.

In this passage, whether literal or not, the writer makes it clear that in the end we will all be accountable to a name. That name can either have your name on it or something else in the world; but only those who are marked by His Name will be able to partake in the celebration before the throne of Heaven. Commentator Mounce writes, “When judgment comes there will be no room for ambiguity; people will have by their mark declared their master.” There is no room for negotiation in this matter. May we never find our identity in names of this world, but remember that we are forever branded and marked by Jesus Christ. For only in this name do we find true salvation and redemption for eternity. This is good news because this is the one name that cannot be earned, but can only be given by His grace. While this world continues to be enslaved to the needs of this world, we are freed by the Name above all names, sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

With that we have been given the responsibility of carrying that Name in a manner that is worthy. Charles Spurgeon challenges the church to “not come and take His name and then dishonor His Character.” In other words, taking upon the name of Jesus comes with the responsibility of following in His character. As we start this morning, ask yourself this: What do I want to be known for? What would the people around me say about me and my branding?

Prayer: Lord, may we find our identity in the one name above all names—the name of Jesus. We confess that many times we associate ourselves more with this world and lose ourselves to the needs of this world. Father, may our lives reflect Your character so that others may see we are of You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 2 Timothy 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Deuteronomy 8:1-5: “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.

Questions to Consider

Why does God humble us?
Why is humility good for us?
What are the areas in your heart that you cannot let go and trust Him in?

Notes

Humility is not something that we can artificially produce, but it comes from the Lord. To be humble is to obey the Lord. Many times we allow external circumstances to harden our hearts that deter us from His will. God will use circumstances to humble our hearts so that we will not forget it is God who leads us and provides for us.
Humility teaches us to remember to not trust in our own abilities or even what the world offers (the daily bread); rather, we are to remember that it is God who provides for us, even our daily needs. God humbles us out of discipline (verse 5), and we know that in Hebrews 12:6 that God disciplines the ones He love. Humility stems from His love for us.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Humility can be difficult and can be so easily confused with a false humility. Remember, humility is not necessarily about the external appearance but the internal attitude of your heart. It is the full surrender and acknowledgement of our own weaknesses while having a full understanding of His sufficiency. May we trust in His provision, believing that He truly has the best in mind for us. Spend some time reflecting on the areas in your life where God is teaching you about humility.

June 3, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 7, 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Is Today Monday or Sunday?”

Hebrews 10:25 (NIV 1984)

“Let us not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Is attending Sunday worship service important to you? As a believer and a father trying to model a life of faith to his children, worshiping God corporately on Sundays has been very important. And today’s passage suggests that once you miss a Sunday, it may become a habit for some.

I don’t like to travel on Sundays, but sometimes I have no other option, as was the case with my recent trip to Cuba where I taught at a seminary near Havana. My daughter faced the same predicament as her plane to Boston was scheduled to leave an hour before mine. We did try to find a Saturday service but couldn’t; I even searched for Korean churches nearby since they are known to hold early prayer meetings but to no avail.

My daughter, however, felt that she could make it to AMI’s Symphony Church if her plane arrived on time. So, I was elated to read her text, while waiting for my connection flight to Cuba, that read: “Got to Symphony service in time for the sermon.” But I wasn’t so fortunate: my plan to visit the airport chapel was quickly quashed upon realizing that it required leaving the airport security zone; there just wasn’t enough time. Then, something happened the next day in Cuba that made up for what didn’t happen on Sunday.

I went to Havana, with my teaching assistant Jon (staff at Radiance Christian Church), to teach from Monday through Friday. But the first Monday class didn’t start until after 3 PM because the week begins with a prayer service from 10 AM to 1 PM. There were over 200 people, comprised of students and local church leaders, in attendance. It was a full service with an hour-long worship, intermittent prayers, and a sermon, which I preached. During the worship, I asked Jon (who also missed Sunday), “Is today Sunday or Monday?” He assured me that it was Monday! We then broke out in joyous laughers with me saying, “Thank the Lord; we didn’t miss Sunday service after all.”

Sometimes we have no choice but to miss a Sunday, but don’t make a habit of it. If you missed it last week, write this down in your phone: Meet God at His house this Sunday.

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving us a living institution, Your church, where we can worship You corporately. Forgive me whenever I become lackadaisical about Sunday worship and give into temptation. Help me to truly worship You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 6

Lunch Break Study

Read John 4:24: “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Mt. 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

1 Cor. 12:12: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.”

Questions to Consider

1. How should we worship God and what does that imply?

2. We can certainly worship God alone but how is that different from worshiping the Lord corporately? Think about the workings of the Body of Christ.

3. What is the great obstacle in your life that diminishes your weekly worship experience, including being inconsistent with attending Sunday services?

Notes

1. We are to worship God in spirit and truth. Worshiping God in truth would certainly include worshiping Him with right doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16, 2 Jn. 1:9). Worshiping God in spirit would include worshiping with the right heart, with prayer and praise to Him.

2. The corporate worship of God, that is, together physically with members of the body of Christ, can accentuate the presence of Christ among them when it is done in spirit and truth. This is not to underplay the importance of individual worshiping of God at home or other places.

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Let’s conclude this day with a beautiful psalm that beautifully depicts the worshiping of God.

Slowly read Psalm 95:1-7 as you worship the Lord.

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.”

June 2, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on June 10, 2017, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is currently planting a church in Tokyo. Please pray for this work.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“To Eat or Not To Eat”

1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1 (ESV)

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. [24] Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. [25] Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. [26] For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” [27] If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. [28] But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—[29] I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? [30] If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? [31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. [32] Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, [33] just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. [4:1] Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

In Living Water’s after-school program, one of our most popular songs has a refrain that goes: “Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh do remember me – way beyond the blue.” While this song is catchy and fun, I’m not sure what that line is getting at. When we like a song or a quote but we’re uncertain as to what it means, we tend to fill in the blanks ourselves. Sometimes we do this to Scripture.

I have heard (and probably given) many teachings on 1 Corinthians 10:31 (“whether you eat or drink…do all to the glory of God”) and 11:1 (“be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”). These are amazingly inspiring words, but I’ve often felt that they were sort of vague in regards to application. This is probably because I was reading these verses out of context.

Paul is making a very clear point. In v. 25-27, Paul instructs believers not to raise any question when sharing a meal with their host. This is so that believers can enjoy the meat as well as not trouble their unbelieving host. In v. 28-29, Paul then teaches believers to refrain from eating the same meat if it bothers the conscience of another person (either another guest, an unbeliever, who assumes Christians should not eat the meat offered to idols, or a believing guest with a weak conscience). Again, the Christian’s goal is to avoid troubling the other person. Therefore, the decision of whether to eat/drink or not is a battle between the believer’s freedom and another’s conscience. The decision is decided by the same principle: do what troubles the other person least. This glorifies God (v. 31).

Christians are called to “give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God” (v. 32). This does not mean that Christians are to be people-pleasers. No, we are people willing to surrender our own advantage that many might be saved. We are not interested in avoiding conflict but in the eternal salvation of all peoples for the glory of God.

This was the concern and practice of the apostle Paul, and according to him and all Scriptures, this was and is the concern and practice of the Lord Jesus Christ (11:1).

Brothers and Sisters, may God reveal to us which freedom and preference hinder our witness so that we may freely surrender them.

Prayer: Oh Lord, forgive me, for I often trouble others for my own benefit. Open my eyes to the beauty of Your Son that I may be free to seek the advantage of others unto their salvation. Amen,

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 5

June 1, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on June 10, 2017, 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.).

June 1, Saturday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Live as an Overcomer”

Revelation 3:19-22

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

“The one who overcomes” is a repeated phrase throughout Jesus’ letters to the seven churches in Revelation. He speaks to each church about its spiritual condition and calls them to overcome every challenge by faith. Becoming an overcomer is God’s call for every believer. The closing of Jesus’ words to the church at Laodicea helps us to see how He coaches Christians to overcome spiritual lows, whether it be apathy, complacency, pride, hopelessness, or unbelief. As the best athletes and finest scholars in the world receive the best quality training in order to have victory, the Christian is trained to overcome and to live victoriously when he or she receives training from Jesus Christ.

The first element needed for becoming an overcomer is humility—to listen to God’s correction and to trust His love in the rebuke. He corrects because He loves us, and not because He is ashamed of us or dislikes us. In v. 19, Jesus says, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline.” When we sit under the counsel of God, we allow Him full access to shape our values and attitudes. The wisdom of God that comes through correction can lift us up out of bondage and the repetitive cycles that we ourselves are not able to overcome.

The second element is opening our “door” to Jesus who is knocking at the door and to enter into a daily communion with Him. The image of Jesus dining with us and sharing a meal is a metaphor for strong affection and fellowship. Jesus invites the Laodicea believers into this intimate space. Though Jesus abides in every believer through the Spirit, the Laodicea believers had shut the door to Jesus in their self-sufficiency and wealth, quenching the voice of the Spirit of Christ. Jesus is knocking at the door of their hearts so that He could return to His proper place of reigning and abiding in them. So today, let’s take heed of Jesus’ words, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with me.” How amazing is it to know that our Lord desires to draw near to us even before we draw near to Him. This morning, spend some time responding to Jesus, and welcome Him into your day.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your unrelenting love. Give me eyes to see that You correct and rebuke me because You love me. You desire for me to experience the fullness of life in Christ. Grant me the ears to hear Your voice so that I may invite You into every area of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 3-4

May 31, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 1, 2017, is provided by Mei Lan Thallman—now a friend of AMI—who had served at Grace Covenant Church UC (now Philadelphia) for a long time.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“For God So Loved”

Genesis 22:11-14

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

At our former church in Taiwan, Kathy, an oncology nurse, was trying to live out her new-found faith in her work place; she joined her hospital’s Christian fellowship and prayed before her meals. One day a co-worker doctor approached her with this question: “I know you became a Christian recently. I like Christians, but I have a difficult time accepting the teachings of your God. Why does your God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, just to prove his allegiance to God? What kind of God does that?” As a new believer, my friend Kathy didn’t know how to answer this question, so she came to my husband and me for an answer.

So I shared with her a powerful sermon I had heard from my college president Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, addressing this very question. He talked about how the testing of Abraham was not so much for God, but it was for Abraham to settle, once and for all, with confidence and certainty, who has the supreme place in his life. Through this testing, a freedom was released in Abraham, knowing in confidence that God was his first love and greatest treasure in life.

Dr. Kinlaw pointed out that at a climatic juncture, when Abraham raised the knife to slay his beloved son, God personally called out from heaven for a dramatic intervention: “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him! Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” As this scene unfolded, there was another conversation between the Father and the Son of the Trinity: The Son turns to the Father and says, “Father, this story is a foreshadowing of what is to come, right?” Father responds, “Right, my son.” Son says, “Only, when it does happen, there would be no stopping.” There is silence as the father nods in agreement.

Our God is not a demanding, impersonal God as the doctor suggested. While God spared Abraham from sacrificing his promised son at the altar, we see in the NT that God never spared His own son Jesus from dying on the cross as a ransom to redeem sin enslaved humanity such as me and you.

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for loving me so much that You gave me Your beloved precious son, Jesus to die for my sins. You gave Your all to love a helpless sinner like me, making me your very own. As your child, I desire also to love You whole heartedly in deep gratitude. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:32-35: He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

Questions to Consider

1. How has your life been impacted by God’s love?

2. Do you usually feel like God is for you or against you? Why?

3. Who or what is trying to separate you from the love of Christ?

Notes

1. Personal reflection question.

2. When we face adversities in life, it’s easy to question God’s love. Romans 8:34-35 reminds us that Jesus is not only with us, but He is also interceding for us and working through the difficulties for our good and for His glory.

3. Temptations come to all of us when we take our eyes off God. We have the tendency to turn good things—family, career, education, ministry, etc.— into an idol, when we cling tightly to these things. Let’s ask God to help us to keep our hands open and to empower us to keep Him as the center of our lives.

Evening Reflection

Our Heavenly Father is trustworthy and He always has our best interest in mind. His will may not always be easy, but it’s always for our best. Let us trust and love Him whole heartedly!

May 30, Thursday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 19, 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“To Register or Not Register Muslims”

Esther 3:8-11 (NIV)

Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of all other people and they do not observe the king’s laws, so it is not in the king’s interest to let them remain. 9 If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who carry on the king’s business, to put into the king’s treasuries.” 10 Then the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 The king said to Haman, “The silver is yours, and the people also, to do with them as you please.”

On the heels of a deadly mass shooting in Southern California by a radicalized Muslim couple in December 2015, the then candidate Donald Trump called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, until country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” But what really concerned the Muslims living in the U.S. was Trump’s suggestion to create a database of them, so as to better track suspicious Muslims and detain the radicalized ones before they strike. Now, most of us would agree that the threat of violence by radicalized Muslims in America, regardless of their number, is real—unless one is an ideologue who even refuses to use the term “Radical Islam.” The question is, then, whether restraining Muslim immigration and keeping a registry of Muslims in the states is a useful and just measure.

While there isn’t any comparable situation in the Scriptures, the above passage can shed some light on the matter. Haman, a highly ranked official in Persian Empire, who belonged to the Amalekites (1 Sam. 15:1-9), an archenemy of Israel (Deut. 25:17-9), plotted to single out the Jews and then exterminate them. While no sane person would dare to equate this situation with ours, one similarity needs to be noted: singling out one group from the larger society because of one’s ethnicity or religion. Historically, that sort of distinction—such as Hitler singling out the Jews in Germany and Franklin Roosevelt singling out the Japanese in America—has not ended well.

At the same time, since American citizens have consented to relinquishing some of their freedom and submitting to the governing authority in exchange for protection, they are within their rights to expect the government to stop playing with words and do something substantial to reduce the possibility of terror. Meanwhile, we pray for a safer America for all law-abiding citizens—which certainly include Muslims (except for a few radicalized ones) whom God of the Bible cares for (Acts 14:17) and loves (Jn. 3:16).

Prayer: Father, we pray for a safer America where people of all races, ethnicities and religions can live peacefully. While we lift up those of the Islamic faith in America so that none of them would be attacked or insulted by misguided individuals, we pray against any acts of terrorism, including those that are done in the name of religion. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Timothy 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 12:16-8: Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Questions to Consider

1. Which part of this passage is more relevant to embodying the kind of commitment that the Christians must have in order to love those of other faiths?

2. What attitude or perspective is needed for non-Muslim Americans in order to live at peace with the Muslims in America?

3. What attitude or measure is needed for Muslims in America in order to live at peace with those who are not Muslims in America?

Notes

1. I think “live in harmony with one another” and “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” are more relevant to embodying the kind of commitment that we need in order to love those of other faith.

2. One necessary attitude/perspective is to see that the predominant majority of Muslims in America are peaceful and decent people, who care about the welfare of the American society.

3. One necessary attitude/measure is to condemn, unequivocally and swiftly, any acts of terrorism committed by Radicalized Muslims, whether home or abroad.

Evening Reflection

Looking back to your day, did you see or talk to a person of Islamic faith at school or office? Offer an earnest prayer on his or her behalf—pray for that person so he/she would experience the fullest measure of God’s common grace. Pray that that person would one day realize that Jesus is not just a prophet but the Son of God.

John 20:31: These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

May 29, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 1, 2017, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee. He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Great Expectations”

1 Cor. 6:1-3

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

Perhaps because I am Asian, I have high expectations for my oldest child. I realize that I am being a bit unfair to Simon, my oldest, but oftentimes he will get yelled at for doing something that his younger siblings wouldn’t be scolded for. I often hold him accountable and am unsympathetic when he allows his brother to get into his stuff and makes a mess of it. For example, the other day, Simon comes running to me in fury: “Look what Jonny did to my Lego set that took me a week to build!” I responded, “Who left it on the ground for him to get at? If you value your stuff and don’t want your siblings to wreck it, put them away where they can’t reach them.” Truthfully, I don’t know if this is the best parenting—I’m just trying my best.

Deep down, Simon being the oldest only accounts for about 10% of why my expectations are so high for him. The truth of the matter is, I think my son is intelligent. When I compare my oldest with the rest of my kids—and sure, as the oldest, there was a stretch of time where he was the only one my wife and I had to invest in– but for whatever reason, he seems to be the most advanced. I don’t know if I’m suffering from revisionist history, but I feel like I haven’t had help Simon get dressed since he was two. Meanwhile, my five year old still requires the royal treatment to carefully place every piece of clothing and accessory on her. Anyway, while I have high expectations for all my kids, they are highest for my oldest.

I think Paul had high expectations for the church in Corinth as well. Apparently, in our passage, there seems to have been some civil dispute between two church members, which was being brought to the secular court for deliberation. Instead of offering to mediate, Paul rebuked the entire congregation, making the point that as saints, they would one day judge the world and angels, so they should be competent to judge “trivial” matters (vv. 2-3). This rebuke may seem harsh, but why was the apostle so bothered? It’s because the Corinthians lost sight of the truth of who they were in God and started to act like everyone else. In other words, they were lowering the bar for themselves and the church.

What about you? Are you guilty of forgetting who you are when you set goals for yourself? How about for other people? Maybe you have a brother or friend who is messed up. Do you forget that this person is made in the image of God as well? Are your expectations for yourself or others too low because you fear of being too harsh or not acting in grace? Or do you dream that people can act and become the men and women that God designed, and dare I say, expects us to be?

Prayer: Lord, help me to see myself and those around me as people who are genuinely made in Your image. Help me conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel, not because I’m trying to be perfect, but because this is who I am. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 34

Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Timothy 2:1-7: You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Questions to Consider

1. In vv. 3-4, Paul compares the Christian to a soldier. What aspects of a soldier’s life help us in our own Christian lives?

2. In v. 5, Paul compares the Christian to an athlete. How does your life in faith relate to an athlete in training?

3. In v. 6, Paul compares the Christian life to a farmer. How does this analogy help you?

Notes

1. The soldier does not get distracted by civilian affairs; he is singularly focused and only aims to please his commanding officer. Obviously, obey God and having singular focus on the Kingdom would suit the believer well.

2. The athlete has to compete within the rules of the competition; similarly, Christians must obey God. Athletes also must diligently train; similarly, self-denial is key to following Christ.

3. The farmer must work hard; he must also depend on God to yield the harvest. Christians are called to both persevere and depend on the Lord.

Evening Reflection

Today’s theme was about understanding our identity in Christ as well as understanding that others are made in the image of God. Who are you in God’s sight? What does that identity mean for you? Do you see your life as a glorious calling, or have you set the bar too low? If it’s the latter, let’s learn to hope again.

May 28, Tuesday

REPOSTToday’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on April 25, 2017, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan. Shan is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Walking by Faith”

2 Corinthians 5:6-7

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Once in a while, when I’m walking alone with just a few people around, I will try to walk with my eyes closed. Inspired by comic book characters and blind kung fu masters, I like to imagine that I could walk ahead, relying only on my hearing and my imaginary, nonexistent radar senses. Not surprisingly though, I don’t get very far before I remember that don’t have superpowers, and chicken out because I don’t want to run into an oncoming traffic. After all, when we walk, we always walk by sight.

Whenever we’re traveling somewhere, we want to be able to see what is ahead, where to turn, and what obstacles are ahead. This applies to when we’re trying to get somewhere in life. We want to know what to expect, what to major in, what job to take, which city to live in, and who we should marry. One of the hardest things for any of us to do is to take the path of uncertainty, for none of us like to go into situations completely blind or unsure of what the outcome might be. So when Paul tells us that we walk by faith and not by sight, it seems impossible; it sounds like we have to dive into situations completely blind, not knowing what might happen, and not being able to see the path ahead at all.

If, however, we think about what walking by faith really means, it is not a path of uncertainty. To walk by faith means to live our lives, trusting that Jesus sees and knows our path. We may feel uncertain and uneasy, but what we need to remember is that our vision is so small and so limited compared to God’s vision. We certainly don’t have superpowers, but we can walk not by sight but by faith, knowing that Jesus sees everything and knows our path!

Prayer: Jesus, help me to walk by faith this day. I pray that I will not trust in my own vision or in my own plans, but instead, may I trust that You are in control. Walking by faith in You feels uncertain, but I trust that You are leading me to the paths that are so much greater than my own way. Help me to trust in You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 33

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 8:22-26: And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.”25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Questions to Consider

What is unique about how Jesus heals this blind man?
Why does it take two tries for Jesus to heal him? What point could He be making?
When you think about where you are and where you are going in life, how do you think your “vision” is? How could you see what’s ahead more clearly?

Notes

Jesus does not immediately heal this blind man, but instead, He takes His time. He takes this man by the hand and leads him away from the village. Jesus then spits in his eyes and lays His hands on his eyes, but it takes two tries for this man to be fully healed.
The man could see after the first time Jesus touches his eyes, but his vision was blurry. After the second time, though, the man could see clearly. Jesus seems to be giving a message to us and to His disciples that when it comes to our vision or our understanding, we must recognize that even though we can see, it doesn’t mean we see things clearly. In the surrounding context in Mark 8, we discover that Jesus’ own disciples could see Jesus and thought of Him as the Messiah, but even then, their vision was blurry.
Personal reflection question. To be able to “see” what’s ahead, we need to let the Word of God be the lamp unto our feet, just as Psalm 119 says. As we understand the Word of God and depend on God to guide us, He will direct our steps.

Evening Reflection

Were you walking by faith today? It’s easy to just pass the day, not thinking about where our trust in God fits into the small or the mundane parts of our lives. Regardless of what your walk was like today, close out this day with a prayer of faith, declaring that God is the one who is sustaining and guiding your life.