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

  1. What is unique about how Jesus heals this blind man?
  2. Why does it take two tries for Jesus to heal him?  What point could He be making?
  3. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.

May 27, Monday 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 11, 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.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Unreasonable“

Genesis 3:1-5 (ESV)

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.  He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” [2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, [3] but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” [4] But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 Do you have any unreasonable people in your life?  An unreasonable boss?  An unreasonable pastor?  An unreasonable parent?  How about an unreasonable God?

Adam and Eve live in paradise.  They dwell with their Creator.  They are given every tree in the garden except one.  And then the serpent comes along and says to Eve, “Did God really say you can’t eat of any of the trees in the garden?  Why is He so unreasonable?”

To her credit, Eve corrects the serpent and tells him they can eat of many trees.  But at the same time, she mentions that they cannot so much as touch the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  A bit of doubt regarding God’s generosity has crept into her mind.

The serpent then ups the ante.  Not only is God unreasonable, but He is also either wrong or a liar.  According to the serpent, sin does not lead to death.  Rather, it leads to life and power.

The transition between thinking someone is unreasonable and thinking they are either wrong or have questionable motives is fairly quick.  An unreasonable boss seems to make only wrong choices.  An unreasonable parent appears to really be looking out only for themselves.  An unreasonable God seems to not know or not care about what will really be good for us.

Brothers and sisters, our Father is not unreasonable when He calls us to flee and fight against sin, which leads to death and separates us from Him.  He is not wrong when He says that dying to ourselves is gain.   His motives are pure.  He is for us!  May we reject every lie that says otherwise.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the God who never changes, whose goodness and love and glory are ever the same.  Give me grace that I would not believe lies about You.  You are a good Father. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 32

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:31-35 (ESV): What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [33] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 

Question to Consider

  1. What does the passage say about God the Father?
  2. What does the passage say about Jesus?
  3. What does the passage say about God’s people?

Notes

  1. God is for us.  He gave His Son for us and will give us all things.
  2. Jesus died, was raised, and is at the right hand of God interceding for us.
  3. We have God on our side, we are justified not condemned, and we will not be separated from the love of Christ.

Evening Reflection

Reflect on your day.  Was there a time when God did not seem to be a good Father?  Speak with Him honestly and ask for grace to see Him as He truly is.

May 26, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on April 23, 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.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Whose Recommendation?”

2 Corinthians 3:1-3

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 

You may recall a time when you either asked or were asked for a letter of recommendation or reference. In most cases, we ask people who know us well, who know our work ethic, and can ultimately vouch for us. It might start off like this: “It is my greatest pleasure and honor to recommend <name> to your program/institution/company….” After that, the letter will also include their relationship to you, your strengths, with possibly an area of improvement, and their thoughts on how you could contribute to the company. And as important as the content of the letter is, the credibility of the writer matters as well.  Now imagine a letter about your life. What would it say and who would you choose to write it?

In this passage, Paul’s apostolic ministry and validity is brought into question by the Corinthians. Ironically, he points them back to the Corinthian church and their ministry as his defense. He further qualifies that the work he had done with the church was only possible through the Spirit’s transforming work and indwelling presence. This serves to validate Paul as both a servant of God and minister to the Corinthians. Paul continues by assuring the church that regardless of their assessment, God is the one who ultimately knows him best, and more importantly, only God can truly commend him as an apostle of Christ. Paul reminds the Corinthians that this truth is based on the new covenant that we have through Jesus.

We have someone greater and worthier than any being, who stands on behalf of us to the Father. His name is Jesus, the very Son of God who—rather than with ink or qualifications—commends us to the Father through His very blood and Spirit. Our validity in both our identity and ministry comes only through this truth. It is no longer about who we are and what we have accomplished, as the world enslaves us; rather, it is about who He is and what He has done. Let us remember that it is not by our works that we are saved, but only by the grace of Jesus Christ. And it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to do the ministry of Christ. As Paul continues, may we find such hope and confidence in this truth. Spend some time reflecting on this, as it is so easy to forget in the name of “serving and doing ministry.” 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the Great Mediator, knowing that it is only by Your grace we are saved. We confess that many times we forget this simple truth. May we always preach to ourselves that our identity and worth comes only from You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 31

May 25, Saturday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on May 6, 2017.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“His Reputation Precedes Him”

2 Corinthians 8:16-18

But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.

When meeting new people, every now and then, I hear people say to me, “Your reputation precedes you.” My usual reply—which I assume is the same for many— is something in the same vein as, “I hope it’s not alI bad,” or, “Don’t believe everything people say.” I know that the speaker basically means that he or she has previously heard about me from other people, who have made a judgment about me and passed it along to others. Whether fair or not, what others have said about you has essentially defined you—at least up to that very moment. 

Paul speaks about a person in our passage who appears to have his reputation precede him. He tells the Corinthians that he is sending Titus, and ‘with him a brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel” (v. 18). Who is this mysterious brother? There are many things we do not know about him, but many have conjectured that it might be Apollos, Barnabas, Silas, or even one of the entourage mentioned in Acts 20:4 (Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Tychicus, Trophimus, or Gaius). Still, there is just no way of truly knowing his identity, nor should we read too much into the anonymity of the person. 

Yet what we do know about this individual is that he had a reputation that preceded him. He was known for his love for the gospel of Jesus Christ. He may have been a powerful preacher, maybe a particularly gifted and effective communicator. But either way, Paul appears to reference the brother’s reputation as a way of commending himself and his work to the Corinthians, and thereby reassuring the church that his plans to collect money from the Corinthians for the famine stricken Judean Christians was honorable. 

The truth is, knowingly or unknowingly, we are always building a reputation. At times, it’s a reputation we may not deserve, for good or bad. And we can’t always control what others are saying about us or thinking about us. But what we can control is our actions and our words. We can communicate what we truly love and what we are definitely “into.” If we are constantly communicating how much we love the gospel of Jesus and we live out its implications in the community, we will begin to have a reputation that will precede us. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for the many ways You love me. Help me to live my life so that your gospel may be known. May I live in such a way to bring honor to the message I am called to bear. I need Your Holy Spirit to enable me, for apart from You I can’t do nothing.  In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 29-30

May 24, Friday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 13, 2017, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Weight of Glory”

Revelation 10:1-4

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; 2 and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices. 4 When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”

I’ve mentioned C.S. Lewis’ sermon The Weight of Glory in a previous quiet time, but there is a picture that Lewis draws for the believer in how to grasp the kind of glory God has designed us for. Lewis writes, “To please God… to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness… to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.” The burden he writes of the glory of being God’s masterpiece is something beyond what we can imagine. 

There is something unique about this next chapter of Revelation that reveals the kind of glory that we have come to participate in. So far, whenever we have read of angels in Revelation, most of the focus has been upon their actions; this time, John takes extra time to describe in detail the characteristics of this other angel. Commentators note the language used to describe where his feet are placed (an identifying characterization of the angel repeated throughout this chapter). He is described to have the sea and the earth under his two feet, displaying his towering figure and the dominance he has over the world. His voice, like a lion, roar along with seven peals of thunder. Needless to say, the appearance of this angel (especially from John’s now shifted view from earth) is impressive. 

A few things to consider: this letter was written to the first century churches where they had incredible, violent oppression from the outside and divisive heresy from within. To the world, the church was a tiny, insignificant group of people, but to those whose eyes are open to the spiritual reality, we see in this angel just how great the kingdom of God truly is. The powers at work for God, and therefore, for the church, and the power of the good news that is proclaimed, stretches across all land and sea as the angel stands above them. The church, though seemingly insignificant in the eyes of the world, must realize that we are a part of a kingdom of utter glory and power. 

Brothers and sisters, may you be encouraged today as you recognize the grandness of the Kingdom that you are a part of. Through your union with Christ, you are now part of a God’s glorious Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Yes, we are called to fend for our faith and the church must be a faithful witness to the Lord. But also, we must remember who it is that we are defending. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for allowing us to be part of Your Kingdom that is so glorious and powerful. We proclaim that nothing can stop this Kingdom. Although in the eyes of this world, the church may look like a thing of the past or insignificant, we believe that the church is part of something so much bigger than what meets the eye. Help us to live with that kind of perspective. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 28

Lunch Break Study  

Read Hebrews 12:22-29: But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly[a] of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Questions to Consider

  1. Verse 22 begins with the conjunction “but,” which causes us to look to what has come just before the passage. What comparison is the Hebrew writer making? 
  2. In verse 25-27, what will happen when the Lord once more shakes the earth and heaven? What does this reveal about what remains, that is, God’s kingdom?
  3. When you think about what it means that in Christ, you are a citizen of God’s Kingdom, how does this change your perspective on how you view your life?

Notes

  1. A contrasting is happening here—one that has been done throughout the book of Hebrews. The writer is comparing how God once related to His people in the times of Moses (where they could not even come close to the mountain of God lest they be struck dead) and now, in Christ our great Mediator, we are able to join in the assembly of God’s Kingdom. 
  2. The Lord declares that He will once more shake the earth and heavens so that only what is unshakeable (meaning, only the things that have been made perfect and righteous) will stand. It is a picture of God’s Kingdom that is holy and pure, a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, one whose King is a consuming fire that will devour anything that is unrighteous.
  3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

One of the greatest challenges of life is fighting the temptation of being consumed by the things of this world—to make our lives all about our jobs, our families, our achievements, or even our struggles. But as you have reflected upon the awe-inspiring Kingdom of God whose King is for you, how has this challenged your perspective on life? Engage your imagination and see how God has made you part of that Kingdom and how that challenges the way you view your current circumstances.   

May 23, Thursday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 25, 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

“Remembering Our First Love”

Revelation 2:1-7 (ESV) 

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’”

John was writing this to the church of Ephesus that was planted out of an awesome fear of the Lord. There was a great display of God’s greatness and power and might, which led to true repentance. Acts 19 tells us that the Holy Spirit moved so mightily in their midst that even handkerchiefs that Paul touched were used for the healing of people—these were people of incredible faith and incredible expectation. The accounts go on that the seven sons of Sceva tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus as some sort of ritual or sorcery. Basically, they were trying to copycat what Paul was doing but to no avail. It says that they were overcome by evil spirits, and most importantly, when people saw this and heard of this occurrence, there was a great fear that fell upon them. People repented to the degree that they came and confessed their sins; not only that, they brought their books of sorcery and occult, and burned it.

They were adamant about keeping sound doctrine, vigorously growing in their knowledge of God and vehemently protecting the faith from heretical teachers who would seek to lead the church astray. However, despite all of the good that was happening in the Ephesian church, the focus of this message actually is on this indictment. One scholar says that this isn’t just a slipping of their first love, but this can be described as a definite and sad departure. Spurgeon, a great English preacher, said this: “A church has no reason for being a church when she has no love within her heart, or when that love grows cold. Lose love, lose all.” He is saying that without love towards God and people, the church has betrayed her purpose and has no reason for existence. Therefore, we must be careful to check our hearts and see whether we have stumbled to a place where we have lost our first love. 

I was looking at the weather channel as I was writing this, and an article caught my eye: “9 Abandoned Lighthouses Around the World”—Forgotten Beacons. In the tagline, it said: “They used to guide ships safely into harbor but the lights are now out at these eerie, abandoned and inactive lighthouses.” As lighthouses are meant to guide ships safely into harbors, churches are meant to guide lost souls safely into the arms of our Father. When light is extinguished from a lighthouse, it no longer serves its purpose. Similarly, when love is extinguished from a church, it no longer serves its purpose. And when we lose our love, we lose our purpose. 

The sad thing is that today, modern day Ephesus is in Turkey, and in doing a cursory look of Christianity in Turkey, we find that there are very few Christians (relatively-speaking) in this area. Turkey is 98% Muslim. Whereas Christianity was once the official religion in 380, it slowly disintegrated and Islam became the major religion. Currently, there is estimated to be 120,000 Christians and 26,000 Jews residing in Turkey today. When they left their first love, they left their purpose. 

Prayer: Father God, remind me again of my first love. When ministry gets tough, when things seem to become routine in my life, I pray that You would remind me of Your sweet presence. When it seems so difficult to continue pressing forward, help me to remember Your love that captivated my heart that very first time, and remind me once again why I am running this race. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Deuteronomy 27

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 22:35-40 (ESV): And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Question to Consider

1. What is the greatest commandment?

2. How important is this commandment?

3. Have you grown weary of loving God and loving others? 

Notes

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Love Him with all of your might! We are also to love our neighbor as ourselves.

2. Not only is this the greatest commandment, but this is the commandment that acts as the cornerstone for all of the Law and the Prophets. All other commandments that were given were with a basis of loving God and loving others.

3. Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

Think about what “first love” looks like. One story that comes to mind is the woman with the alabaster jar (Matthew 26:6-13). As you think about the way this woman lavished her love upon Jesus, reflect upon your own life. Is this the way you lovingly approach the Lord?