April 7, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on February 19, 2017. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Pauls and Timothys”

1 Corinthians 4:16-17 

Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Once, at a family gathering, my brother and I were telling a story, when suddenly our relatives burst out laughing. Since we hadn’t been saying anything particularly funny, they had to explain why they laughed: “Just now, both you talked just like your dad—you gestured wildly with your hands!” He wasn’t present, but unbeknownst to us, we channeled his mannerisms so strongly that, at least for the moment, we were carbon copies of him to our relatives. 

Here, Paul takes advantage of a similar relationship; he plans to send Timothy, his disciple, to continue his work in the Corinthian church and to be a model for the church. Timothy was not only a student of Paul’s teaching; he was a student of Paul’s way of life. And because Paul invested so much into Timothy’s life, he was confident that Timothy would be a faithful representative, fully trained in all the things Paul wanted to impart.

As family in Christ, we too can have this type of influence on one another, and we should be actively partaking in this aspect of God’s work. We are meant to be Pauls for each other, intentionally meeting up with others and discipling them through our actions and lifestyle. We also are meant to be Timothys, learning from others and shaping our lives in alignment with those good examples.

The road to both discipleship relationships requires two things – first, we should ask God to govern over our lives so there is something good for others to take away. Second, we should ask Him for the means to actively engage with others so that we can be propelled towards Christ. 

When we go to church today, let’s be on the lookout, not just for general fellowship, but brothers and sisters who we can grow with and actively shape us. I believe that God is very much in favor of us making disciples of one another, and He will surely appoint brothers and sisters around us to help us. As we continue to learn things from one another, He will use us to become Pauls and Timothys for each another.

Prayer: Father, thank You for making Yourself known to us individually and that You have set good examples around us. Help me to be teachable and to learn from others; help me to propel others wisely and patiently around me, too. Teach us how to fulfill Your Great Commission by making disciples of all the nations. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 8

April 6, Saturday

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on February 11, 2017.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Humble Circumstance of Our Calling”

1 Corinthians 1:26

Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position.

A pastor recounted the following story:  

In 1994, two Christian missionaries answered an invitation from the Russian Department of Education to teach morals and ethics in a large orphanage. It was nearing Christmas and they decided to tell [the children] the story of Christmas. It would be the first time [they] had heard the story of the birth of Christ. When the story was finished, they gave the children three small pieces of cardboard to make a crude manger.

… It was all going smoothly until one of the missionaries sat down at a table to help a 6-year-old boy name Misha. When the missionary looked at the little boy’s manger, she [saw]not one, but two babies in the manger. She called for the translator to ask Misha why there were two babies in the manger. Misha began to repeat the story very seriously. He related the happenings accurately until he came to the part where Mary put the baby Jesus in the manger. … He said: 

“And when Maria laid the baby in the manger, Jesus looked at me and asked me if I had a place to stay. I told him I have no mamma and I have no papa, so I don’t have any place to stay. Then Jesus told me I could stay with him. But I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have a gift to give him like everybody else did. But I wanted to stay with Jesus so much, so I thought about what I had that maybe I could use for a gift. I thought maybe if I kept him warm, that would be a good gift. So I asked Jesus, ‘If I keep you warm, will that be a good enough gift?’ And Jesus told me, ‘If you keep me warm, that will be the best gift anybody ever gave me.’ So I got into the manger and then Jesus looked at me and he told me I could stay with him – for always.”

The longer I live as a Christian, the easier it is for me to forget the circumstances around which I was called by our precious Savior out of darkness and into the marvelous light. I love stories like the one above that in fresh way offer a renewed appreciation for the “circumstances of our calling.” Like a little orphaned child with nothing to give to Jesus, we were invited into close intimacy with the living God and given a home with Him in His family. Spend some time to remember when you first heard the gospel and the first time you made it your own.  

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your calling in my life – that above all things, You call me Your child. Help me to remember the humble and needy state in which You found me. May this renew my love and affections toward You and melt away the pride, self-righteousness, and even apathy that passing years can bring in the human heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 6-7

April 5, Friday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on April 21, 2017.  A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God of All Comfort”

2 Corinthians 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

I recall a few months ago, shortly after my daughter Audrey was born, there were some nights where nothing would comfort her: Try to get her to sleep? Didn’t work. Try to put her in the baby swing? Didn’t work. Bouncer? Again, nope. She kept crying and crying. The only thing that kept her from crying was holding her and pacing around the floor. In those moments, I felt defeated, like I was unable to comfort my own daughter.

Aren’t we like that sometimes? Not like the father, but like the crying baby? We complain and complain to God about this or that, wondering why He won’t answer our prayers. We can wonder in those moments if God even cares. But what does our passage for today tell us about God? He is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts us in all our affliction.” Though, maybe, He won’t answer a specific prayer, we can be assured that He will always hold on to us – He will never let go. He will give us comfort, because He is the God of all comfort.

Today, come to God. Bring your requests – though he may not answer them right away – we can trust that He will comfort us. He will surround us with His presence and show His love to us. He is a faithful Father, One who holds onto us even as we cry, complain, and try to push Him away. He never lets go. That’s the love of our Father!

And with that love of the Father in us, let’s remember that we can comfort others: “We may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” So, while the comfort of God lifts us up, let’s then turn to lift others up with that same comfort.

Prayer: Lord, thank You that You are the God of all comfort. So often do we complain and throw tantrums around You, but still You are faithful and will never leave us. Thank for Your unfailing, never-ceasing love and comfort for us. Give us today this comfort, as we go through the afflictions of life. We need Your loving presence in our lives. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 5

Lunch Break Study  

Read Matthew 11:28-30: 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Questions to Consider

  1. Who does Jesus invite to come to him? What does He promise them?
  2. How do we receive this rest from Jesus?
  3. How does Jesus describe life with Him?

Notes

  1. Verse 28 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden.” Jesus invites those who weary, worn out from the world, those who are burnt out and stuck, and those are who just plain tired. To all who are struggling, Jesus says, “Come to me.” And what does He promise them? Rest – real spiritual rest. Not TV-binge-watching rest, but real, genuine soul-rest.
  2. Well, first off, we need to come to Him! But Jesus also says we need to take His yoke and learn from Him. What this means is that we need to learn to live life the way Jesus intended, because living life as Jesus intended will give us rest. This may seem counter-intuitive (isn’t Jesus’ way of life incredibly difficult??), but, in reality, Jesus’ way of life was the way humans were meant to live. Follow Jesus, live like Jesus, and we will find that we are living in a way that brings rest and peace to our souls.
  3. He says that it is easy! Again, this seems counter-intuitive, but as already mentioned, once we start living a life with God—the way God intended—we will find this more natural, in fact easier, than the competitive, unforgiving, stressful ways of life that the world pushes us to live.

Evening Reflection

Tonight, remembering that our Father in Heaven is the God of all comfort, let’s come to Him and rest in His loving presence. Try not to speak – no prayer requests, no grievances, no words – but just rest in His presence and receive His comfort. 

April 4, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 13, 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

“A Jew to Win Jews”

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (ESV)

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

When I was in junior high, my friends and I would rep “AzN PRiDe.”  I’m not entirely sure what random capitalization or spikey hair had to do with being Asian, but underneath it was a desire to find a group of people to identify with—or to put it another way, to be with people with whom I felt most comfortable.

Supposedly, we grow out of this adolescent desire but the evidence appears to indicate otherwise.  For instance, some say that Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week in America.  Theologians and church planters discuss the Homogenous Unit Principle, which states that people like to become Christians among those like themselves.  But Paul has a decidedly different viewpoint, for he is interested in being with and even being like people who are different from him; that is, Paul willingly sets aside his culture to identify with others.  

Thus, it comes as a surprise when Paul declares, “To the Jews I became a Jew.”  

Wait a second—wasn’t Paul already a Jew?  According to Philippians 3:5, Paul is “a Hebrew of Hebrews”!   Before he met Jesus, Paul’s Jewishness was actually his greatest hindrance to believing in the Son of God.  Yet, Christ had transformed him so completely that being an Israelite is no longer his primary identity.  Paul does not need to find his identity in the cultural and religious customs of Israel.  He is a citizen of the coming Kingdom.  He is an heir with Christ; he is a child of God.

Certainly, Paul, continuing to value his heritage for Jesus, declared that salvation comes from the Jews.  He has a particular love for his Jewish brothers, even desiring to trade his own salvation for theirs (Rom. 9:3).  However, Paul’s culture is no longer an idol to be worshiped or a means to find belonging, but a tool to be used for a gospel purpose.

In Paul’s day, there were 200 million people in the world, of which about 100% were unreached (referring to those who never heard about Jesus and who will remain that way  unless a Christian crosses a culture to tell them).  He gladly utilized his cultural background or took on the patterns of another to share about Jesus more effectively.

In our day, there are over 7 billion people in the world, of which about 40% are unreached.  Incredible progress has been made, but still over 3 billion people have very limited access to the Good News of Jesus Christ.  If God’s people do not cross a culture, they will not hear of the only way of salvation.

As we go to the nations and as the nations come to us in our own cities, may our cultures be a Gospel tool and not a hindrance to believing, obeying, and sharing Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Everything about me was created with purpose and with great potential for bringing Your Son glory.  Use all that I am that all peoples may worship Jesus. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 3:4b-11 (ESV): If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. [7] But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. [8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

Question to Consider

  1. How could Paul boast in his background?
  2. Why does Paul willing count his impressive background as loss?
  3. How can Paul use his culture to spread the Good News?

Notes

  1. Paul has a prestigious lineage: he was trained by well-respected teachers; he was zealous in his defense of Judaism; he was meticulous in his adherence to the law.
  2. To gain Christ, that is, to know Jesus in His sufferings and in the power of His resurrection.
  3. Paul’s training and law-keeping commended him to fellow Jews. His knowledge of Scripture could be used to prove that Jesus is the Christ.  His zealous persecutions of believers and following transformation testified to the power and truth of Jesus.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  How were you tempted to use your culture or background as a means to judge others or excuse your sin?  What opportunities did God give you to connect with others because of or in spite of differences in culture?  Pray for God to use all that you are to spread the name of Jesus.

April 3, Wednesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on May 10, 2017, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Spiritual War”

2 Corinthian 10:3-6

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. 

In the 1984, my father immigrated to the United States from Taiwan with my mother, to study Computer Engineering at San Jose States University—he wanted a better life for his wife and his future children. So when my father became a United States citizen in 1985, he had to give up his Taiwanese citizenship. He explained to me that while becoming a citizen had its benefits, it was also very complicated: he had to learn everything that came with becoming a citizen such as jury duty, taxes, and different business policies. Additionally, he had to adhere to the laws and rules that came with becoming a new citizen.

In this passage, Paul explains to the Corinthians that they are in a spiritual war. However, this war is not fought through the standard means of Greek philosophy and reasoning; rather, as citizens of heaven, they must fight using a new method—the divine power of the gospel. 

Paul describes in verse 5, that this stronghold-destroying process must be done in two steps: First, we must “demolish philosophies and arguments that set themselves against the knowledge of God.” However, we do not demolish simply by using counter-reasoning, but through the power of the Holy Spirit. Second, we cannot simply destroy these strongholds, but “we must take every though captive and make it obedience to Christ.” After armies destroy a fortress, they take the enemies captive, preventing them from gathering again. In the same way, as the knowledge of God demolishes strongholds, we must make them obedient to Christ, so that these thoughts do not come back.

A common spiritual battle that we fight is in the area of evangelism. Many of us have opportunities to minister to family members, co-workers, and classmates. What kind of approach do you take when it comes to sharing the gospel? Do you rely on your knowledge and experiences, or do rely on the Holy Spirit to minister to co-workers and friends? 

In our society, knowledge and experience are highly regarded, putting a high premium on those who know a lot. We take this same standard and apply it to our Christian walk, especially in the area of evangelism. While apologetics and our personal experiences are important and needed, Paul reminds us that as citizens of heaven, this spiritual battle must be won through the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for shedding Your blood for me. I know that I am no longer a citizen of this world, but a citizen of heaven. Therefore, the way I fight this spiritual battle is not through my own strength and reasoning, but through the power of Your Spirit. Help me to trust that You are working in those whom I am evangelizing to! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 20:May the Lord answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.[b]4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5 May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests. 6 Now this I know: The Lord gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9 Lord, give victory to the king! Answer us when we call!

Questions to Consider

  1. What do you notice about the psalmist’s transition from verse 1-5 and 6-9?
  2. Who does the Lord give victory to (vv. 8 and 7)?
  3. What will happen to those who trust in chariots and horses (vv. 6-8)?

Notes

  1. In verse 1-5, the psalmist repeats the word “may” to reveal that he hopes God can bless these situations. However, verse 6-9 transitions into promises that are for sure. 
  2. The Lord gives victory to those who are anointed (set apart) and to those who trust in Him.
  3. Those who trust in chariots and horses will be brought to their knees, meaning they will perish.

Evening Reflection

In light of today’s sharing, do you have co-workers, classmates, or family members whom you can evangelize to? Consider the ways you have evangelized in the past. What are some ways that you can rely on the power of the Holy Spirit more?

April 2, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 24, 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?”

John 3:16

 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 

After reading a story about Christian mission work in a Muslim country, a reader commented, “Since when did we consider the Muslims to be unbelievers?  They do not need to be converted because the Christians and Muslims believe and worship the same God.”  This person’s point isn’t entirely without merit, since both the Syrian Christians and Jews referred to God as Allah before the rise of Mohammed in the 6th century.  But upon a closer examination, because the original meaning attached to the name Allah underwent a dramatic makeover in the Koran, anyone who says that the Christians and Muslims worship the same God is either ignorant or condescending toward religion itself.  

The best way for me to show the difference is to take you back to a meeting in 1999, where I had an opportunity to share with an audience of about 100 people—equal number of Christians as well as Muslims.  I began the talk by saying that if I had an opportunity to be either Allah or the Christian God for a minute, I would want to be like Allah in a heartbeat.  I then read from the Koran where it says, “Obey Allah and Apostle.  If they give no heed, then, truly Allah does not love the unbelievers (3:32); “Allah does not love the evil-doers” (3:57).  I reasoned that since I, too, don’t love the people who don’t believe me, as well as those who do evil, I can readily relate to Allah.  

After taking a pause, however, I changed my tune, saying, “What I really needed before becoming a Christian, was a God who would’ve loved me even if I didn’t believe Him and was doing bad things.  And there is such a God—and that is the Christian God.”  I, then, read Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Unlike Allah of the Koran, the God of the Bible “is kind to ungrateful and evil men” (Lk. 6:35). 

After the meeting, a Muslim man shared how he had never seen the difference quite like that.  No, he didn’t become a Christian that day, but I hope that he eventually placed his trust in Christ—the greatest expression of God’s love toward fickle mankind so undeserving of such amazing grace! 

Prayer: God, I exalt and worship You today.  Help me not to be intellectually lazy and naïve to the point of believing everything the media reports and what the academia spews out.  Clarify my thinking on Islam, so that I can present a cogent and sensible presentation of the gospel to the next Muslim I meet.  Amen.    

Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 2

Lunch Break Study 

Read Eph. 2:8-9 (NASB): For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

Rom. 10:1-3: Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2 For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3 Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 

Questions to Consider

1. What is the main difference between salvation by grace through faith and the way the Jews  went about it?

2. If how the Jews went about to establish their own righteousness represents world religions—such as Islam and Buddhism—then what is the main difference between the latter and the Christian faith? 

3. What would you say to a Muslim who believes that he must keep the Five Pillars of Islam—confession (“there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet”), daily prayers, almsgiving (zakāt), pilgrimage to Mecca, and fasting—to be saved?

Notes

1. Whereas salvation by grace through faith requires no works contributed by the person desiring to be saved, the Jews tried to establish their own righteousness by keeping the moral laws as well as works of the law (circumcision, Sabbath keeping and eating kosher). 

2. Whereas the Christian faith is God’s attempt to save men, world religions are men’s attempt to save themselves through their own efforts. 

3. I would share that Jesus is not merely the second most important prophet, but He is, in fact, the Son of God.  Then I would tell him that Christ’s atoning sacrifice on the cross made his works (keeping the Five Pillars of Islam) unnecessary to be saved.

Evening Reflection

Do you have any Muslim friends or co-workers?  Have you ever tried to talk to them about God?  Of course, we need to establish a relationship before talking about such a serious matter like one’s faith; however, the first thing we need to do is to pray for them.  Even a gifted theologian and preacher like the apostle Paul asked his friends to pray for him, saying, “Whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19).  Would you begin praying for this Muslim individual so that you may have an opportunity to share the mystery of the gospel with him or her?

April 1, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 23, 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“How 9.11 Changed My Outlook on Islam”

Col. 4:5

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 

Jn. 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God.

As Bible-believing Christians, we ought to disagree with contrary beliefs, but if we are to love our “enemies” (i.e., those with whom we disagree), we should make some effort to know what they actually teach, and then disagree—rather than going just by secondary sources, or worse, hearsays.  So when I started to study about Islam, I discovered—to my surprise— some agreeable things the Koran says about Christ. 

The 9.11 occurred less than two weeks after we moved to Chihuahua, Mexico, a city about 250 miles south of El Paso, Texas.  After this happened, I knew I had to get a copy of the Koran.  It so happened that my family and I already had plane tickets to visit my father in Philadelphia for his 70th birthday bash at the end of October.  Crossing the line at the border, which took forever because of extra security measures, was another reminder that as a missionary who taught, among other subjects, missiology, it was imperative that I understood Islam.  After scouring several bookstores in Philly, I was disappointed to find only a copy that contained excerpts from the Koran; later, when Florida pastor Terry Jones threatened to burn the Korans, I was screaming, “Give a copy to me!”

After eventually securing a Koran and reading it—along with several books on Islam—I discovered that while Islam considers Mohammed as the highest ranking of all the prophets, including Jesus, it actually seems to present Jesus as more than just a prophet—maybe even “better” than Mohammed.  For instance, while the Koran presents Jesus as a worker of miracles (raising the dead and healing the lepers), no miracle is attributed to Muhammad (29:49b: “My mission is only to give plain warning”).  

While Jesus is said to be without blemish, Muhammad is told to seek forgiveness for his sins (40:55b: “Allah´s promise is true.  Implore Him to forgive your sins”).  The Koran even says of Jesus, in semblance to John 1:1, “a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary; high honored shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God” (3:40).  

Of course, there are several substantially conflicting teachings about Christ in the Koran that can hardly be bridged with the Bible.  What I discovered from the Koran, however, is sufficient to “conduct [myself] with wisdom toward outsiders (like Muslims), making the most of the opportunity” (Col. 4:5) by, first, presenting myself as a curious inquisitor.  

My advice to you: Islam, with its 1.7 billion adherents, isn’t going away; therefore, get to know Islam and the Koran.  Know the key differences so as to realize that Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God (discussed tomorrow); utilize any similarities between the two to begin dialoguing with them.  

Prayer: Lord, the presence of many religions in the world is quite daunting to our faith, since we believe that salvation is found only in Jesus.  Help me, Father, to understand and appreciate world religions; impart to me the necessary knowledge and wisdom to speak to them about our Savior Christ.  Amen.

 Bible Reading for Today: Hosea 1

Lunch Break Study

Read John 20:31: But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 Jn. 2:23: No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

The Koran declares, “Say: Allah is One, the Eternal God.  He begot none, nor was He begotten.  None is equal to Him” (112); “Allah forbid that He should have a son. . ..”  (4:171).

Questions to Consider

1. What is a key difference between the Bible and Koran over the Sonship of Christ?

2. Is that difference trivial or essential?  Can we consider those who deny the Sonship of Christ as having the Father?

3. John 3:36 (NIV) says: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”  Can you make a theological sense of this passage?

Note

1. Whereas the Sonship of Christ (but not in a physical sense) is crucial to the centrality of the Christian faith, Islam denies that God (Allah) has a son.   

2. This is an essential difference, because Scripture declares that those who deny the Son do not have the Father—meaning, believing in God without believing in the Son is not part of the New Testament faith, that is, a saving faith.     

3. The wrath of a holy God toward sinners is the default position, and it is the substitutionary death of the Son that perfectly satisfied this wrath. Thus, it stands to reason that if one rejects the Son and his atoning work, then, God’s wrath will continue to remain on him.   

Evening Reflection

Where were you when 9.11 occurred?  How did it change your world?  Well, if you are like the rest, the change didn’t last too long, unless you were directly victimized by the terror.  One thing that will never change is that the Son died on the cross to “take away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29).  In contrast, the Koran says: “[The Jews] said, ‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus Son of Mary, the messenger of Allah,’ but they killed him not nor crucified him but it seemed so to them. . .. But Allah took him up to himself.”  Ultimately, Muslims need to be convinced that Jesus died for their sins.  Would you pray right now for missionaries serving in Islamic countries that they would clearly, boldly, and lovingly share the good news of Jesus Christ?  Pray that you would be equipped to speak cogently to a Muslim neighbor about Christ.

March 31, Sunday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 5, 2015, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is the Lead Pastor of Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan. 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Easter Sunday”

Romans 8:11

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

A long time ago, when I was still pretty young in my faith (but acting like I was mature), I remember a friend of mine closing a prayer meeting with a prayer that went something like this: “God, we thank you that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is within us.”  After he said that, my immediate reaction was, “Wait, is that true?”  It was inconceivable to me that this incredible statement could be factual.  So after the prayer meeting, I went home and pulled up Bible Gateway and did a search for those words; and to my amazement, it was true!  The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within me and with all believers.  When we know this truth, it changes everything, doesn’t it?  

Today, we celebrate Easter Sunday—Jesus rose from the dead on this day a few thousand years ago.  It was and still is the greatest day in all of history because everything changed as a result of the Christ’s resurrection.  Not too long after this glorious day, simple, uneducated men would start sharing this Good News to strangers and even foreigners, where thousands of people started to put their faith in this Jesus.  They would help the lame to walk, the sick to be healed, and bring dead back to life, all the while rejoicing as they took on beatings and persecutions.  These simple, uneducated men would flip the whole world upside down.  All of this could only be possible because that same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwelled in them.

We can look at our own lives and just feel so ordinary; it’s hard to think we could be like those apostles and have much to offer to this world.  Especially when we focus on the darkness and problems of this world, we feel powerless.  Maybe instead of the Spirit, we see the sin that still rages within our hearts.  It’s hard to believe that we would ever be free of it.  But when we realize this truth that this same Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead dwells within us, and when we remember this Easter Sunday, it should change everything.  Sin has lost its power over us.  Death has been defeated.  We have this power within us that comes from the Holy Spirit.  

As we celebrate this Easter Sunday, let us rejoice that this same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us. Let’s believe in that power within us!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the resurrection and the hope that it imbues.  May the power of resurrection propel me to live a life worthy of your precious name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 16

March 30, Saturday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 18, 2017, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children (Jonah, Lily, and Ayla), serves in Japan as an AMI missionary. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.), is currently in the process of planting a church in Tokyo. Please pray for this work.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Fellowship Meals”

1 Corinthians 10:16-22 (ESV)

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? [17] Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. [18] Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? [19] What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? [20] No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. [21] You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. [22] Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  Whether this is sound dating advice or not, we understand that sharing a meal is about much more than counting calories or satisfying hunger.  Birthday parties, weddings, and many other events are purposely scheduled at meal times because food is intimately connected with relationships.  

Now, meals are important not only to humans, but also to God.  In our passage this morning, the apostle Paul explains that the Lord’s Supper is not simply a ritual or a memorial service for our Savior who is far away in heaven.  It is an active participation in the body and blood of Jesus.  The Lord’s Supper involves real, immediate communion or fellowship with God Himself.

Sharing a meal with God is not a new idea; it is found throughout the Scriptures.  In Leviticus, the Israelites are given instructions for five major types of offerings.  One of these, the peace offering, involves a fellowship meal.  The offeror invites his friends and family to join him in eating the peace offering in the temple.  In this way, the people of God not only eat in God’s house but, in effect, also enjoy a meal with God Himself.

In the New Testament, Jesus is always eating: he goes to weddings, eats with tax collectors and sinners, and miraculously feeds the 5,000.   Shortly after resurrecting, the Lord appears to his disciples and asks for something to eat.  Later, near the sea of Tiberius, we find him preparing breakfast for his men.  

God loves to eat with His people because meals are a means of connection and relationship.  This is why eating in pagan temples is so serious.  The Lord has abolished all food restrictions.  Idols are nothing.  Thus, Paul is gravely concerned that the Corinthians might have fellowship with some spirit other than the Spirit of Christ.

We may not be tempted to participate in pagan feasts, but morning by morning do we fellowship with Jesus or with “spirits” of social media and careerism (e.g., checking daily planner, not God’s Word)?  During our lunch breaks, do we eat with Jesus or with spirits of entitlement and envy?  In the evenings, do we feast with Jesus or with spirits of sensuality and more social media?  Throughout the day, Jesus is calling us to connect with Him—to hear Him speak and rest in His presence.  May we hear the invitation of the Lord and feast at His table alone.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You love to fellowship with Your children.  There is no reason that the Maker of Heaven and Earth would delight in me, yet You constantly call me to Yourself.  May I delight in the table of Jesus alone. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 30-31

March 29, Friday 

UPDATED Today’s AMI QT blog, written by Pastor Mark Chun, was originally posted on March 29, 2013. Mark, a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.), presently serves as a staff at Radiance Christian Church in S.F.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Good Friday”

Psalm 31:3-5 (NIV)

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; 4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge.  5 Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. 

When Jesus spoke the words of this psalm on the cross, it was at the very end of his suffering.  Imagine the events preceding this statement: an evening of torturous prayer, betrayed by a friend in the dark of the night, questioned and beaten by religious leaders deep into the morning hours of the next day, and then stand trial before Pilate at dawn.  

In less than two hours, Jesus would be tried and sentenced to carry his cross up to Mt. Calvary.  By 9 am, the soldiers would have nailed his hands and feet, and lifted him up on that cross.  For the next six hours, Jesus would not only suffer the physical pain of the crucifixion, but more importantly, he would endure the spiritual agony of God’s wrath and abandonment.  

This is what makes this statement so amazing, that even after enduring such despair, Jesus was still able to entrust his spirit into the hands of God.  It was and is the greatest proclamation of trust in the sovereign will of God; even unto death he was the perfect model for his followers.  It is easy to trust God when things are going well but the cross reminds us that the real trust is forged through the dark nights of our soul.  

As you come to Easter weekend, are you praying for anyone in particular to hear the Gospel?  Pray about opportunities to bring someone to church to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.  

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess that it is difficult to entrust my life completely into Your hands. Help me to follow the example of Your Son who lived his life in complete dependence upon Your will.  Even when I cannot understand the circumstances surrounding my life, teach me how to trust You instead of leaning on my own strength and understanding.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 29 and Mark 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV): “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the basis of our trust in God’s provision for our daily needs (Matt. 6:26)?
  2. Why is it pointless to worry (Matt. 6:27)?
  3. What is God’s promise to those who put their trust in Him (Matt. 6:33)?

Notes

  1. Jesus points out that the birds of the sky are well taken care of and compares their worth to ours.  Clearly, we are worth more to God than a sparrow since we are the only creatures under heaven that bear His image.  Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that God is concerned deeply about our daily needs.  
  2. From a pragmatic sense, it is pointless to worry because there is nothing that anxiety can do about the circumstances of tomorrow.  In addition, worrying doesn’t make the quality of our lives better, but in reality, diminishes it.    
  3. God’s promise is a simple one for those who put their trust in Him and seek first the kingdom of God: Everything we need for life eternal will be provided for us.  

Evening Reflection

Are you growing in terms of your level of trust?  For some, the command not to worry is about as difficult to follow as an instruction to stop breathing.  Anxiety seems to be such a natural part of our lives that we forget that it is a symptom of our lack of trust in God.  

That said, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that the post-COVID 19 world renders trusting in God a necessity for our survival, spiritual and otherwise.  Prayer is one of the ways we can learn to put our trust into God during difficult times.  Pray.