March 3, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on March 26, 2017, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. David is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“If One Suffers, We All Suffer”

1 Corinthians 12:21-31

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

In an article on NPR.org entitled “Getting Some ‘Me’ Time: Why Millennials Are So Individualistic,” it states: “They are a class of self-centered, self-absorbed, selfie-snapping 20-somethings. This is how many critics have come to define the millennial generation. But hold on, isn’t this what was said about every generation when it was young? Minus the selfies of course.” Individualism has long been considered the hallmark of America. It is appealing because we do not like to depend on anyone else—meaning, we like self-sufficiency.

In this chapter, Paul reminds the church in Corinth that we are to use our spiritual gifts to build up the body, but he also warns the church not to feel like they are so qualified that they do not need the help of others to perform their ministry. That’s why he writes in v.21 that we should have the attitude of interdependency. We need one another to build up the body of Christ. He goes on to say in v.26 that we should have care and concern for one another, that if one member suffers, our attitude should be that we all suffer.

As Paul talks about the topic of love in the next chapter, he is describing how we should love one another within the body of Christy: When we truly love, there is no distain for one another, no rivalry or competition, no envy or malice, no inferiority or superiority, but only love—a love that is patient, kind, not jealous or boastful but always rejoicing in the truth (1 Cor. 13:4-6). Only Jesus can produce this kind of love and affection for one another.

Pray this morning that you would have a greater love for the members of the body. As we are called to use our gifts, pray that the Holy Spirit would break our individualistic attitude that often hinders unity but rather a love that would produce unity.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for showing us the importance of the body of Christ. May we have a greater appreciation and love for the churches we attend and serve. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 16

March 2, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on January 28, 2017, is provided by Joanna Tzen, a friend of AMI, who attended and served at Grace Covenant Church (UC) for a long time.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Sabbath Anyone?”

Exodus 31:12-3

Then the Lord said to Moses, 13 “Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

I’ve been reading a book titled Emotionally Healthy Leader, where the author interestingly brings up the topic of the Sabbath. So what exactly is a Sabbath? Is it an Old Testament practice that we no longer observe as Christians?

In the Bible, observing the Sabbath is one of the commandments that were given to the Israelites through Moses. They practiced the Sabbath not only because even God rested on the seventh day from the work of creation, but because this observance showed the surrounding peoples that the Israelites trusted God. They would not farm or work on this day; they would rest in God and trust Him.

As time passed, Sabbath had become obligatory restrictions that man added on to; so by Jesus’ time, the teachers confronted Jesus and His disciples for gleaning grain on the Sabbath. That is when Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).

This passage might come to mind for many Christians when they hear the word Sabbath. Why should we as Christians practice it? Isn’t it legalistic? If the purpose is to set aside time to know that God is holy and to worship Him, as well as to recognize our own limits, perhaps it is worth thinking about in our world. As we are constantly bombarded with the lie that we are what we do, I think this practice helps us to ask some hard questions: Are we defining ourselves by our productivity, regardless of whether that work is at church, school or the workplace? What keeps us from resting in God? Are we unconsciously trying to earn God’s salvation?

Prayer: Lord, examine my heart and show me if I have believed the lie that I am what I do. Could it be that I am unable to rest because I am afraid of what I will find within when I am not producing? If I have believed this lie, please forgive me of this and replace it with the truth that I am a beloved child of God, and that what I do does not define me. Help me to rest in the security of Your promises, rejoicing in the salvation You have already secured for me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 14-15

March 1, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on March 17, 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.) plans to, the Lord willing, plant a church in Tokyo in 2024. Please pray for this work.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Relational or Robotic”

1 Corinthians 10:1-5 (ESV)

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, [2] and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, [3] and all ate the same spiritual food, [4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. [5] Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

If we are honest, we prefer things that are guaranteed, that is, a sure-fire method that will produce the desired result. This is because we love to be in control.

As a high school student applying to college, one guaranteed method of gaining admission to my dream school was supposedly test scores. When I managed to do well on my SATs, my peers told me that I was set for life. I would get into the best college, graduate with the best major, and get a high paying job. They were wrong; life is not so robotic. Even in matters of faith, authors of many how-to Christian books try to sell us a sure-fire method with guaranteed results whether it’s a method of prayer or Bible study.

Have you ever been jealous of biblical characters? The Israelites walked through the Red Sea. Joshua saw the walls of Jericho fall. The twelve disciples saw Jesus feed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. If only we had been there, seen these miracles, and had these experiences, our faith would be rock solid! Faith, however, is not so robotic. Many who saw the glorious cloud, walked through the Red Sea, and ate the miraculous manna did not ultimately please God. Achan saw the walls of Jericho fall but still succumbed to greed. Judas saw three years worth of Jesus’s miracles before betraying Him.

When we trust in methods or experiences, we can begin to imagine that we are experts. We become proud and are setting ourselves up for a fall. Real Christian faith is not about methods or even experiences. Christian faith is trusting in a person. It’s relational, and while relationships have predictable rhythms, they don’t function like scientific experiments. In fact, if we are looking for guaranteed methods that lead to guaranteed results, a personal relationship becomes a hindrance, not a help.

When we truly trust in Jesus, then we are no longer in control but he is. While this is uncomfortable at first, it can ultimately be glorious. Remember, when the Israelites were helpless slaves in Egypt, God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush. When Joshua was helpless before the stronghold city of Jericho, God revealed the plan that would lead the victory. When the disciples were helpless before the arrest and murder of Jesus, God saved them and the world.

Our helplessness, not our strength, opens the door for the miraculous work of God and the miracle is not just a show of power, but a means to know the One True God.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You are a living God, not a cosmic force or spiritual vending machine. You have made me to know You. May I not be distracted by Your gifts or miracles but may they be the means to knowing and loving You more. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 13

Lunch Break Study

Read Galatians 6:1-3 (ESV): Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. [2] Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. [3] For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Question to Consider

What do people struggling with sin truly need?
Are spiritual people above temptation?
What happens when we are tempted to overestimate ourselves?

Notes

They need brothers or sisters who will restore them in a spirit of gentleness. Often, God addresses our helplessness (i.e., strengthen us) through other people.
No, they must keep careful watch of themselves.
When we feel that we don’t need others to bear our burdens, we are liable to fall.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day. Did you interact with God? Did you carry an attitude of “I’m in charge” or “I am helpless without Him? Ask the Lord to intervene in your life.

February 29, Thursday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on February 9, 2017. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Devotional Thought For This Morning

“Don’t Pity the ‘Fool!’”

1 Corinthians 1:18

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Two preachers share embarrassing moments:

Hannah: I was preaching about Law vs. Grace and used Deuteronomy 23:12-14 as an example for crazy laws. One of the students generously volunteered before service to read the passage out loud…when it came time to read, he misunderstood what verse I said to begin with and just started at verse 1. I lost all attention for the rest of service.

Deuteronomy 23:1 definitely shouldn’t be read out loud in a youth group.

(“No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the LORD” Deuteronomy 23:1.)

Robert: My most embarrassing preaching story was my 1st experience with a ‘lavalier’ mic! The choir sang and I got up to preach, but I was still getting over the stomach flu!

I felt some moving so I called the choir back to sing and ran out as they sang, “Let the Lord have His Way.” I barely made out of the auditorium. Suddenly, my wife ran into the men’s restroom and said, “Your mic is still on!”

Needless to say when I came back to the pulpit, we just dismissed!

Many moments in a life lived serving the Lord can leave us feeling silly, embarrassed, or even foolish. But unlike the funny stories above, for those who’ve positioned themselves long enough before God in a posture of surrender and obedience, the trajectory of life with Christ can manifest a more sobering foolishness. Promotions foregone in an effort to build a healthy family, shortcuts not taken in an effort to live with integrity, money given away in an effort to invest in the mission of God, relationships over working late, missions trip over summer internships, forgiveness over revenge, hope over despair – all these things look rather foolish to the world around us. But the humble life to which Jesus calls each of us is one He Himself lived perfectly and is one that will bear a profound witness to the goodness of the gospel if we are willing to walk it out.

Prayer: Lord, help me to walk humbly before You today in obedience and surrender. May the decisions I make be guided by the conviction of Your Holy Spirit and the truth of Your Word. Make me willing to be foolish in the eyes of the world for the sake of walking faithfully in the power of Your salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 1:18-23: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, ¹⁹because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. ²¹For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²²Professing to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Questions to Consider

According to the passage, what are some ways God has made Himself known to us?
One Bible translation titles this passage, “Unbelief and Its Consequences.” What are the consequences of unbelief?
How have you experienced the truth of vv.21-22 in your life (perhaps in your thinking before you became a Christian, or more recently in some of your not-yet-sanctified thoughts)?

Notes

God has made himself known through His invisible attributes, power, and nature displayed in the world He has made. If we are careful to take note of the created world around us, we will be hard pressed to miss God’s self-revelation.
Unbelief (suppressing the truth) results in foolishness that leads us to ungodliness and unrighteousness, which are both subjects to the wrath of God. When we turn away from God and shut our eyes to His self-revelation, refusing to acknowledge Him (honor Him/give Him thanks), we find ourselves thinking, believing, and doing all sorts of things utterly void of genuine wisdom.
Spend time in personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

In her song “Fool For You,” Nichole Nordeman reflects on the times in life when “faith and common sense do not align,” and she found it difficult to live a life that seemed foolish to those around her (and to her own doubting heart). She concludes her musings by calling to mind the life of Jesus who, “unaware of popularity and unconcerned with dignity,” came and made Himself a fool for all of us through His incarnation and crucifixion.

^“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18).

Spend sometime reflecting on the life of Jesus in light of our passage from this morning. How does this encourage you to make choices and live a life may seem foolish to those around you? (Feel free to listen to Nichole’s song during your time of reflection! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEpoBGJ9LlA).

February 28, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 13, 2017.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Is It Okay to Say, ‘Speak English, You are in America’?”

Daniel 1:3-4

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.

Just before last Christmas, an elderly woman’s caustic rant directed at two Hispanic shoppers in Louisville went viral. She said many hurtful things such as “Go back to wherever the _____ you come from,” and also “Speak English . . . you are in America.”

While attending many worship services in Mexico where I lived for a decade, I noticed that whenever visitors from America tried to introduce themselves in broken Spanish, most congregants appreciated it even if it was incomprehensible. Such a gracious response, however, wasn’t extended to those Americans who were longtime residents of Mexico and continued to speak poor Spanish.

Among several reasons why a foreigner choosing to live in a new country should learn its language is being respectful toward the host nation and its people. Just as important a reason is that the ability to speak the language of the land opens the door for wider job and educational opportunities. From a socioeconomic standpoint, the fact that the prophet Daniel, taken to Babylon as a teenager, learned to speak and write in Aramaic (well enough to pen portions of his book in it) was one key factor that led to his high employment in the king’s palace.

Respectfully and lovingly encouraging immigrants, particularly the youth, to learn English is not racist; it’s a matter of showing respect for the host nation and doing what is good for their future wellbeing. I came to the United States when I was 14 (1974) without speaking English; my SAT verbal score was 480. Yes, mastering the English language was a struggle (still is), but in time, I attained enough proficiency to publish numerous articles in English, and I recently contributed a chapter to a textbook on mission published in England (2015). I went to Mexico to serve as a missionary when I was 40 without the ability to speak any Spanish (2000). After taking one year to learn it, I went to the field mostly to teach and develop theological courses (books) in Spanish, one of which was published in Mexico (2005), which is still being used as a textbook.

Even more significantly, learning a new language can be a spiritual experience because, in my case as an older person, I had to absolutely rely on God to learn Spanish. And the faithful God gave me the wisdom and motivation to master Spanish in answer to my daily prayers. Now, I can preach about the greatness of our God in a language spoken by over 500 million people—“Gloria a Dios!”

So, to my immigrant “compañeros,” I say without a hint of racism: “Work hard to learn English”; trust God in whom “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13).

Prayer: Father, please help me to have a sympathetic heart toward those young people who still have a difficult time speaking and writing in English. Help me to get involved with perhaps some outreach efforts such as local schools or afterschool programs so that I can tangibly express my faith in Christ through my community involvement. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 11

Lunch Break Study

Read John 1:1, 14, 18 (ESV): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . .. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . .. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

Luke 2:52 (ESV): And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

Questions to Consider

1. Describe what had to transpire for God to make Himself known to us.

2. Who came to where first, and once there, what did this individual have to learn?

3. We began this day talking about learning the language of the host nation. In what sense did God show His great love and “respect” for His fallen creatures?

Notes

1. God, who is infinite and transcendent and thus beyond the reach of humans, made Himself known to them through the Son, His “exact representation” (Heb. 1:3) who became flesh and dwelt among men so that they could know God through the incarnate Son.

2. Jesus came to earth first in a human form and learned, including several languages (e.g., Aramaic, Greek, etc.), wisdom, obedience (Heb. 5:8), etc.

3. God, knowing that fallen men cannot reach Him on their own, allowed His own Son to become one of them but without sin, beginning the process as a helpless baby so that the Son can bring us back to God and also become the source of comfort for us (Heb. 4:15) while we still journey on earth.

Evening Reflection

In what language did you communicate today at home, school, or the office? No, I’m not talking about English but the language of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20 tells us that “we are God’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” Most ambassadors speak at least two languages: the language of the sending country and the host country. So, how good is your grasp of the “language of God,” that is, God’s word? How good is your grasp of the “language of man”, especially when they speak of their despair, hopelessness, and even deceptive concepts? Why not make this year a time of really learning God’s language: reading and studying the Bible seriously. And when you spend time with others, especially unbelievers, learn and prepare yourself to really understand what they’re trying to say about their life. Then, pray for them and speak to them the language of God. Pray for that right now.

February 27, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 11, 2017, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei. He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with the church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A Greater Vision”

Mark 11:15-18

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

In 1996 Steve Jobs returned to Apple to serve as the interim CEO of the company. People were familiar with Jobs because he was the co-founder back in ‘76, but no one could have predicted what he did when he came back. At the time of his re-entry, Apple was a slowly dying company. But to be fair, they were working on roughly 350 different projects, with the hopes of making a comeback. But Steve Jobs came in and overthrew all of them! He cut every single project and forced the company to focus on just 10 projects. Some might have called him crazy, but everyone agrees that he was a radical. Nevertheless, out of this revolutionary overthrow was born the iMac, iTunes, the iPod and the iPhone! Since then, Apple has become the most successful tech company in the world.

On the Tuesday before Jesus was crucified, He went into the Temple of Jerusalem and overturned the tables, both literally and figuratively. The Temple of Jerusalem was a slowly dying system (the glory of God wasn’t upon it quite like it was in the “olden days”) but to be fair, the Temple was the center of the entire Jewish faith. It had been that way for a multitude of generations. Worship, teaching, sacrifices, offerings, all these things took place at the Temple of Jerusalem. It would be an understatement to say that the Temple was the most important and holiest place in all of Judea. So it’s no surprise that the priests, scribes, and religious leaders were outraged by Jesus.

But much like the vision Jobs had with respect to earthly things, Jesus had, in a much greater way, a vision for spiritual things—a vision for a faith that is not chained to the adherence of ceremonial laws nor confined to a physical location. Jesus had in mind to completely do away with the old system of worship, which had turned into a complex system of do’s and don’ts. Instead, He Himself would be the Way to come to God. In Christ and through Christ, anyone could have access to the presence of God.

Although we live in the post-resurrection era, oftentimes we overcomplicate people’s access to the presence of God. When we’ve been “good,” we feel as though we deserve to receive God’s love. On the other hand, when we fall into sin, we tend to exclude ourselves from eligibility. But let’s be reminded that Jesus overthrew the old way, and He became our Way to the Father. May you live today in the fullness of the presence of God!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for providing the way for us. Thank You for your blood, which cleanses us and makes us worthy to be with You. Help me during the times when I’m tempted to disqualify myself or others from Your presence based on our shortcomings. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 10:26-29: For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?

Questions to Consider

What does this passage say regarding deliberate (willful) sin?
What happened to people who deliberately disregarded the Mosaic Law?
How do we reconcile this with the grace and forgiveness of God?

Notes

For obvious reasons, this is not the most attractive verse for believers these days. The passage tells us that there is “no longer a sacrifice” for those who go on sinning deliberately. In other words, the continual practice of willful sin indicates that a person is not living in the forgiveness of God.
In the Old Testament, there was no sacrifice provided for a person who committed a willful, defiant act of sin (see Leviticus 15:30-31). That person would be “utterly cut off” and “his iniquity shall be on him.”
To be clear, this passage does not undermine the power of Jesus’ blood to cover our sins. Even sins that are committed consciously/willingly are certainly within the realm of Christ’s forgiveness. If that were not the case, no one could be saved. However, this passage is a sober reminder that a lifestyle of casual sin is not the norm for a follower of Christ. These days, there is a danger of becoming so comfortable with the doctrine of grace that Christians become okay with living with casual sin. The thought is, I’m never going to be perfect, so I’m not really that concerned with the sin in my life. Besides, Jesus’ blood covers it! But the Bible teaches that that is not an acceptable way to live! True repentance requires that we take our sin seriously. And although it’s true that we won’t achieve perfection while in the flesh, we must never become comfortable with the practice of sinning.

Evening Reflection

Is there an area of your life in which you have stopped pursuing holiness? Perhaps it’s a sin that has plagued you for quite some time. This evening, invite the Holy Spirit to come and renew your love for the Lord in that area.

February 26, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on March 6, 2017, is provided by Pastor Mark Chun through whom God founded the Radiance Christian Church (S.F.) in 2012. Mark, after stepping down as its Lead Pastor in January of 2023 and a year of sabbatical that followed, just returned to Radiance as a staff.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Idolatry of Marriage”

1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (ESV)

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. 8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Most cultures and people have a very high view of marriage. In the movie Jerry McGuire, Tom Cruise who plays the main character tells Renee Zellweger, “You complete me.” I’ve come to realize that this is not just romantic sentiment, but it is something that is believed by many people: life is not complete, and you are not a complete person until you have found a person for marriage. In our generation of postponed marriage, divorce, and singleness, this societal expectation has become a great point of pain and anxiety. Yet in this passage, Paul reminds us that the relationship between a man and a woman does not make a person complete. I want you to consider these following points from Rediscovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood:

Jesus, who was the most fully human person to have ever lived, never got married and He advocated the single life by teaching us marriage, as we know it in this age, is not the final destiny of any human (Mark 12:25).
The apostle Paul was one these men who was chosen to renounce marriage for the sake of the gospel, and there have been many other great men and women who have taken this path.

And there are several reasons why singleness is a celebrated status in the Scriptures. The Bible celebrates celibacy because it offers opportunities for single-minded devotion to the ministry of Christ. In addition, singleness is considered a gift from the Lord and marriage is viewed as something of a concession for those who do not have the gift of singleness.

I believe that the renouncing of the right to marry is one of the greatest sacrifices that a Christian can make. Coming from the married perspective, I would say that it ranks a close second to sacrificing your physical life for the gospel. And for me personally, I think I would rather give up my rights to live than give up my rights to have a wife and a family—clearly, I don’t have the gift of celibacy! However, the benefits of singleness are not just for those called to a life of celibacy. Everyone has periods of singleness in life and in those seasons, it’s important to give single-minded devotion and our full effort to serving the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, whether we are married or single, we know that we have been called to serve You. We recognize the benefits of marriage but also realize its limitations. In the same way, we recognize that singleness affords us an opportunity to serve You without the constraints of family responsibilities. Either way, help us to make the most of our relational status, married or single, and to serve you accordingly. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Mark 12:18-27(ESV):And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

Questions to Consider

Why did the Sadducees propose such an outlandish scenario?
What will be our marital status in heaven?
What are the practical implications of our marriage status in heaven?

Notes

The Sadducees were the liberal wing of Judaism and did not believe in the resurrection. As an argument against the Pharisees, who did believe in the resurrection, they commonly used arguments like this because the Pharisees believed that earthly relationships were binding in heaven. Under Levitical law, brothers were held responsible for taking care of one another wives in the case of death before they could bear children. This obviously would cause a huge problem in heaven if the same women was married to multiple brothers on earth!
Jesus takes the Pharisee’s understanding of resurrection to a much higher level by teaching us that our earthly relationships are no longer binding in heaven, and there will be no marriage in the life to come.
The practical implication of this doctrine is that everyone who is redeemed will only have a singular focus to their devotion and will fulfill their role as the bride of Christ for all eternity.

Evening Reflection

Whether you are married or single, all people go through times of isolation and loneliness. In the midst of those times, our future fellowship with Jesus can be a great source of hope and encouragement. Pray that the Holy Spirit would be your constant companion and fill you with the assurance of God’s love.

February 25, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on February 12, 2017. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“I Can Only Imagine!”

1 Corinthians 2:8-9

None of the rulers of this age understood it. If they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

Read the following statements and decide if they make sense:

A seashore is a better place than the street because you need lots of room.

At first it is better to run than to walk.

You may have to try several times.

It takes some skill, but it is easy to learn.

Even young children can enjoy it.

Birds seldom get too close.

If there are no snags it can be very peaceful.

But if it breaks loose, you won’t get another chance.

Without any context to frame the sentences above, they don’t mean much. Now re-read them with this one-word interpretive key: kite.

A seashore is a better place than the street because you need lots of room. At first it is better to run than to walk. You may have to try several times. It takes some skill, but it is easy to learn. Even young children can enjoy it. Birds seldom get too close. If there are no snags it can be very peaceful. But if it breaks loose, you won’t get another chance.

The context helps the paragraph to make sense. In the same way, when it comes to the Bible (or theology, or Christianity, or the gospel), once you have the context or the framework, all of the details start to fall into place.

Without the proper context, most things don’t make much sense or seem significant. We can manufacture our own sense of meaning and significance (as some of us did with the first set of statements above), but true understanding requires appropriate context.

In a similar way, our lives require context if we are to extrapolate significance and meaning from them. Without proper context, we are just stringing together a series of seemingly random events and unrelated experiences from season to season. While we can manufacture our own metric that gives our life a sense of purpose and meaning, a genuine (and fulfilling) understanding of anything requires appropriate context. And the appropriate context for life is God.

Apart from God, our minds fail us in our efforts to make sense of life. He is the Contextualizer. And as much as we know (from the revelation in Scripture, the witness of the Saints, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit), we have not yet seen or even imagined all of God’s good plans for our lives or for His redemptive work in the world.

May we take comfort in this truth, especially during difficult and confusing times, knowing that one day we will see God face to face and He will be the final word to make sense of it all. This will be a day of great rejoicing for those who’ve put their trust in Him.

Prayer: Almighty God, thank You for the good plans You have for me and for the world. When things get tough and when life seems confusing, help me to remember that I have only begun to taste and see the height and depth of all that Your love is accomplishing on my behalf. May I take comfort in merely beginning to imagine what You have in store and may I trust You completely to fulfill Your promises beyond my wildest dreams. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 8

February 24, Saturday

UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on January 14, 2017, is provided by Mei Lan Thallman who was serving Grace Covenant Church at the time.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“An Antidote for “Me” Leadership: Waiting on Tables”

Acts 6:1-10

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia—who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke.

“What’s for dinner?” is one of the most repeated questions I hear from my kids. Their response to my answer can either place a smile on my face—or drop an atomic bomb in my spirit. After all the effort I put into making a meal, the last thing I want to hear is “Are you making that again?” or “I don’t like that.” So, at the dinner table, I often need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to help me to maintain a loving attitude and to zip my mouth from unleashing well-deserved rebuke to my unappreciative, complaining, and expert food critiquing family. Ironically, this situation helps me to understand why the Holy Spirit impressed Luke to emphasize the leadership qualifications to care for the practical needs of a growing church family.

Upon examining Acts 6, a few important spiritual principles stand out. First, there is no distinction in God’s eyes: one ministry is not more important than the other; both spiritual and practical needs of the church family are equally important. Second, God’s criteria for leadership qualities to meet both needs are also the same. It’s very fascinating how the text repeatedly emphasizes the importance of choosing leaders who are known to be “full of the Spirit, wisdom, God’s grace and God’s power” (v.3, 5, 8).

The early church is experiencing growth explosion and increasing responsibilities to care for the diversifying needs of the congregation. The twelve apostles recognized the need to expand their leadership team in order to adequately shepherd the young and fast growing flock. Seven men were appointed with the primary responsibility to wait on tables. The Greek word for “wait on” is the verb from which the noun “deacon” comes from.

Acts 6 used to puzzle me, because I felt like these seven men were overqualified to wait on tables. Anybody can wait on tables. When we are known to be full of the Spirit, wisdom, and God’s grace and power, we often think that we are suitable for more important tasks—like teacher, elder, worship leader, small group leader, etc.But having received from the Lord this awesome privilege of serving Him for past 20+ years, I understand that who we are is much more important than what we do. God always looks for leaders who lead out of who they are and not just what they do (title or position). I praise God for placing the priority on the quality of our heart and character over our natural ability and talents. I’m glad that none of the seven responded that they were too spiritual, too qualified, and too good to wait on tables; instead, they accepted the call with humility, availability, and deep gratitude for what Jesus had done for them.

Prayer: Lord, as we have begun 2024 it is our heart’s cry to become men and women who are characterized to be “full of Holy Spirit, godly wisdom, God’s grace and power.” As we face the challenges of our time, we can all agree this world is in desperate need for more leaders with the spirit of Stephen in our homes, churches, schools, work places, country and world. The Holy Spirit who lived in and through Stephen is the same Person who indwells with all believers of Jesus Christ. Lord, empower us to take a bold and firm stand in our generation and to be a faithful steward of the influences you have entrusted to us. In Christ Jesus’ overcoming name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 6-7

February 23, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on February 24, 2017. He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) and Columbia International University where he studied Islam (M.A.).

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Orphans Through Our Judgment”

1 Timothy 1:8-11

We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

In the X-Men universe, one of the main protagonists, Professor Xavier, has telepathic powers through mutation and lives to help fellow mutants. By using his machine Cerebro, Xavier can enhance his telepathic powers to locate and communicate with mutants in distress. However, in the movie X2, both human and mutant antagonists, William Stryker and Magneto, attempt to use Cerebro to kill all mutants and humans respectively. Thankfully, the X-Men come to the rescue and the crisis is averted.

As spiritual orphans, we too can use anything meant for good in the wrong way, including God’s law. There are many good uses of the law, as it reveals God’s character and restrains wickedness (1 Tim 1:8). However, we give the law power it does not have when we expect it to justify us and give us life. While the law shows us what Christ is like, we use it wrongly when we expect it to secure righteousness that only faith can secure. Ultimately, the law has no power to produce the heart obedience God is looking for.

It is a good thing that the law convicts us of sin; it was not made for the righteous but for the unrighteous (1 Tim. 1:9-11). However, instead of running to Jesus for rescue, we gain relief from the law’s burden by not only trying to follow it but then also using it to compare ourselves with others who are “worse” than us. Even small things such as coming to church on time (which is a good thing in itself!) can be abused when we use it to feel more righteous than someone who is late. And by taking the position of being right and strong, we actually distance ourselves from our communities.

As God’s children, we have to remind ourselves that we are free from any condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Through Christ, our sins are paid for and His righteousness and perfect obedience is ours. Knowing that the law does not determine our acceptance with God allows us to extend that same acceptance to other lawbreakers like ourselves. Let’s do so today.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your many gifts, including Your Law. Thank You that it shows me how worthy You are of worship and how short I fall of Your standards. Instead of trying to justify myself, help me to run to You, my rock and my Redeemer. Help me to serve and love through the Law instead of judging and condemning others. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Mark 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Galatians 6:12-16: Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.

Questions to Consider

What were the intentions of those who were advocating circumcision?
What instead does Paul boast about?
What are you using as your “circumcision”?

Notes

1. They wanted to impress others by means of the flesh (Gal. 6:12) rather than accepting their identity in Christ. Even those who had never been circumcised were pushing for it so that they may boast (Gal. 6:13).

2. Paul, instead, boasts in the cross of Jesus Christ. At the cross is where we gain true knowledge of God and ourselves. At the cross we see God’s perfect love displayed for sinners and holy wrath against sin. At the cross we see our unworthiness and utter hopelessness without our Savior.

3. Personal response (e.g. our degrees, our glorious past, our possessions, etc.)

Evening Reflection

Reflect on the past day. Were there times when you acted in the flesh to protect your reputation and righteousness? Praise God that who we are is not dependent on what we have done, but what He has done for us. Let’s ask God to let that truth sink deeper into our hearts.