REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, originally posted on November 25, 2019, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian. Shan leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Who Is the LORD?” 

Exodus 5:1-2

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 

As a parent, one of the most fun and randomly joyful moments/phases is when I would give my son a dirty napkin (or something else) saying, “Tyler can you put this in the trash?” and exuberantly and joyfully he would exclaim, “OK Daddy!”  And then he would take the dirty napkin, and jubilantly gallop to the trash can, open the trash can, and throw that napkin in, and come back to me as if he had done the greatest thing ever.  Such obedient behavior from my son can, of course, be attributed to me and my wife’s superior parenting skills and my commanding and authoritative presence.

But much to my surprise, my skill as a parent and my authority don’t work with other kids.  When I go to other kids and say, “Hey, you kid, put this napkin in the trash!” they don’t listen to me.  Why is that?  Because if I were to do that, each kid would look at me and think or say, “Who are you?  Who are you to tell me what to do?”

In Exodus, Moses appeals to Pharaoh, asking for the freedom of the Lord’s people, and Pharaoh replies, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?”  What Pharaoh says to Moses—and ultimately God—is ”Who are you to tell me what to do?”  He isn’t willing to listen to God and set his people free because he does not know God.

As followers of Jesus, one of our desires is to see people listen and obey the Lord.   And we especially would love to see people in positions of power, working to bring freedom and justice to this world.  It is a worthy cause for us to fight to see greater righteousness and justice in our world today.  However, realistically, in order for those in power to follows God’s way, they must know God first.  The only reason my son is willing to listen to me is because he knows that I am his father; whereas, other kids are not willing to listen to me because I am assuredly not their father.  In a similar way, we must pray that our friends and neighbors, and even those in power, will know the Lord because if they know the Lord, they will listen to His voice.  And more importantly, let us be people who seek to know the Lord and follow Him.  

Prayer: God, I pray that I will know You this day.  Help me to know and follow Your ways.  I pray that through me and through Your body that the world will know You and follow You.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Nehemiah 8

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Lunch Break Study

Read John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 

Questions to Consider

• How do the sheep know who to follow?
• What do the thief and stranger represent in this passage?
• How do we know Jesus as our Shepherd?

Notes

• The sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd, so it means that they are accustomed to hearing his voice.  And not only do the sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd, but the shepherd knows each sheep by name.  The shepherd personally knows his sheep, not just as a flock, but individually as well.
• Jesus may be hinting at false messiahs that came before Him, or He could be talking about the religious leaders of the time, or even Satan himself; but regardless of who Jesus is talking about directly, for our lives, we can understand the thieves and strangers to be anyone or anything that has a voice that could lead us away from our Shepherd.
• Just like the sheep in the metaphor Jesus gives, we must make it a habit to listen for Jesus’ voice, especially through prayer, the Bible, and the body of Christ.  We don’t usually learn to hear His voice all of a sudden in a holy moment; instead, we must grow and learn to do so consistently.  And we know we can grow in this since Jesus knows us personally and wants to speak to us.

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Evening Reflection

The culture and society that we are living in is not conducive for us to hear and follow the voice of God, so we must be intentional and vigilant about spending time with Jesus and hearing His voice.  Spend some time in silence and solitude, and listen for His voice.  And then pray that others can come to hear His voice as well.

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, originally posted on November 25, 2018, is provided by Jennifer Kim. Jennifer served faithfully as a staff in multiple AMI churches in the past.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“It Must Be Faith with Deeds”

James 2:14-26

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

When I decided to go on one-year missions to Shanghai in 2013, I shared the news with my non-Christian brother. His immediate response to what was supposed to be an exciting news was, “Don’t you think it’s better to provide education and service to people in need than organized religion?” Although his response hurt and frustrated me, I realize now that his question has some merit. What can religion do for the one who is sick, starving or without any basic needs met? Of course, they may be able to have a relationship with God and go to heaven, but is that what Christianity is all about? Does the God of love only care about salvation and not the earthly needs of His children?

When we look at the Bible, we can see that God is not reticent of people’s needs. Instead, we see God’s providential hand all throughout Israel’s journey from slavery into the promised land; we see Jesus’ heart to heal the brokenhearted in the story of Samaritan women; and we see Jesus feeding people rather than sending them away. Luke 4:18 sums up Jesus’ ministry as more than a proclamation of spiritual salvation, but a holistic ministry that brings deliverance to the captives, healing to the sick, and release for the oppressed.

The Christian faith is one that goes beyond a belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is a faith that is put to the test by our actions where faith and deeds meet to reflect the life of Christ. James calls it foolish to believe that you can have one without the other; in fact, Satan even believes in God, yet his faith is not credited to him as righteousness because his actions (or lack thereof) do not reflect a true salvific faith. 

It is no different with us.  To live an active life of faith we are called to respond with our deeds. While the greatest moment in our relationship with God is when we come to faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ who saves a sinner like us, James shows us that our faith is made complete by our actions. That is, we are called to more than a life of belief, but a life where all that we do reflects the hope and faith that we have in a God who cares about all the needs of a person – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Therefore, let us be people whose faith is made complete by our faith and actions today!

Prayer: God I thank You that your work on the cross has sanctified me once and for all. Help me to live a life of not just faith, but a life with faith and deeds. And help me to be a beacon of light to others in all of their needs. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 7

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on January 24, 2018.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“It’s Gettin’ Tense In Here”

Acts 18:24-28 (NET Bible)

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus, although he knew only the baptism of John. 26 He began to speak out fearlessly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately. 27 When Apollos wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace, 28 for he refuted the Jews vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

Tensions are high these days—and with good reason. People are fed up with the way things are. Racist, classist, sexist, xenophobic and discriminatory ideologies have heartbreaking effects on so many lives and absolutely should be uprooted and dismantled. And right now there are minoritized communities across the country ready with shovel and sledgehammer to do just that. So, things are tense. 

These same ails are present in the Church (and if they’re not present in your church, please hear this in love; it’s likely because your church is too insulated to be effective or you’re not listening). When we join the family of God, we bring with us our bigotry and bias, our wounds and scars, to a way of life that requires that we get really close in intimacy and interdependence—a perfect recipe for tension. And it gets personal when ideologies attached to our religion and faith are challenged. So, things can get even more tense.  

If we are committed to the mission of God and humbly follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, we WILL sense tension (in one relationship or another, in one space or another), and we WILL be led to speak and share God’s truth in love. In the passage above, Priscilla and Aquila confront Apollos to correct errors in his understanding of God’s truth. We don’t know the what (the content of Apollos’s teaching or their correction), but we do know the how—when Priscilla and Aquila sensed tension between Apollos’s teaching and God’s truth, “they took him aside and explained the way of God to him.” It seems simple, but this is the hard work of challenging and changing our broken world. 

While content matters immensely (what is God’s truth about today’s most pressing issues), the way we go about speaking God’s truth is also critical. In the age of social media and the internet, we must take care not to confuse the cowardice that often lurks in public discourse with the courage it takes to participate in God’s transformation of hearts. When we talk about instead of to, withdraw instead of confront, condemn instead of listen, even when we pray about instead of for, we fail.  While public platforms are useful, we only have the right to speak and the resources to be effective in those spaces when we are doing the hard work in our local communities of binding our lives to those with whom we may disagree in face-to-face confrontation, day-in and day-out conversation, and life on life relationships. 

Truth is often offensive. People were wildly offended when Jesus spoke truth to power and challenged the way things had always been done. But it was His tangible love to those around Him that opened their hearts to the truth and ultimately saved their souls. 

Prayer: Gracious God, please grant me the courage to participate in Your transforming work in the lives of the people around me. Open my eyes to see what is broken and open my heart to know and speak Your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 5-6

REPOST Today’s AMI Quiet Time, originally posted on March 22, 2019, is provided by Pastor Peter Yoon who is the Lead Pastor of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Everyone Gets to Play”

Exodus 14:21-22; 26-28 (NIV)

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided,22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

My children play in a football league where “everyone gets to play.” Regardless of one’s skills or the score, the coach will manage the roster so that every child is given a chance to play the game. It’s clear that some kids are better than others; nevertheless, everyone gets to play albeit in different positions (e.g., not everyone gets to play the quarterback). 

That is a picture of God’s community. 

In today’s passage, as God is about perform one of His greatest miracles, He invites Moses to play the quarterback, if you will. The parting of the Red Sea is a miracle that is still celebrated by the Israelites today; it was the day of their glorious freedom as they crossed on dry land while the Egyptians were later destroyed. Now, while God could have performed this feat from the heavens, He allows Moses to stretch out his hands in performing the miracle. It’s perplexing to think that an Almighty God, who has all the power over all of creation, chooses to use humans. But there is no denying that God’s desire is to use us to accomplish His works on earth—how wonderful, amazing and humbling!

Therefore, do not doubt that God can and does use His servants to accomplish some of His greatest works. As a follower of Christ, you are certainly one of His servants. God can and will use you. So, instead of assuming that God uses everyone else except you, ask Him to take your hands and use them for God’s purposes and God’s glory. 

John Wimber, founder of Vineyard Christian Fellowship and head of Vineyard Ministries International, often said, “Everyone gets to play.” He understood clearly that following Jesus wasn’t a spectator sport—meaning, Jesus wanted everyone to discover their own set of gifts and use them to make a unique contribution towards building each other up in the Lord. 

So, stop spectating; instead, stretch out your hands and see what God can do through you.  And give Him all the glory for using us despite of us. 

Prayer: Lord, use me to serve others. Use me to tell Your story to others. Use me to bless others. Use me to encourage others. Use me to build up others. Use me to perform miracles. In Your name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 4

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Peter 4:8-11 (NIV): Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Questions to Consider

• What is the purpose of the gifts you have been given? 
• Do you think that some gifts are more notable than others? How does verse 11 dispel that notion? 
• Do you believe that God can accomplish His works through you? Why or why not? 

Notes

• To serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace.  
• Whether one speaks or simply serves, “in all things” God is praised. 
• Personal response.

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Evening Reflection

In what ways were you able to serve others today? If you missed an opportunity, ask God to grant you another opportunity tomorrow to use your gift to serve others.  

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on March 17, 2019. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Diligence in Seeking God”

Exodus 9:27-28, 34 

“Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. ‘This time I have sinned,’ he said to them. ‘The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. ²⁸ Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer…’ ³⁴ When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.”

I have found that there is no time like the last month before a big exam. My lifestyle becomes machine-like as my diligence kicks into high gear: I sleep regular hours, I exercise regularly, I even meal prep – all so I can devote additional time before and after work to study. Something is thrilling about living in my best state during a high-stakes season. However, my off-season lifestyle is shameful. Most of these habits drop to the wayside and prove that, at my core, I am loose and undisciplined. One might say it’s normal to not have otherworldly discipline, but it is obvious to me that the urgency of my situation changes my dedication and focus. 

We have just experienced a glimmer of hope when Pharaoh surveys the consequences of not letting the Israelites go – all his land is destroyed. He seems about ready to relent and is willing to let the Israelites go and have Moses intercede on his behalf. When the stakes are high, he too submits to the Lord. But once God relieves the Egyptians, instead of repentance and worship, Pharaoh loses interest in seeking God.

Does your level of comfort change whether you seek God or believe you really need Him? In times of relative ease, are you like me, forgetting that we are called to faithfulness? Today, let’s resolve to make habits in our lives so that our spiritual hunger does not wax and wane with circumstance. Big, sweeping plans seem exciting, but small habits that will pay off in the long run. Let’s make time today to dedicate ourselves to seeking God: one more chapter of the Word than usual, or 5-10 more minutes of prayer than usual. Over time, as we build these habits, may we become people who are steadfast and faithful through all circumstances.

Prayer: Father, I want to know You more, but I confess that I am often slow and lazy to seek You. Help me to encounter You and build my faithfulness so that I can gain a faithful, steady heart that is constant in every circumstance and situation. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 3

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Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Timothy 4:6-16: “If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Questions to Consider

• Note that Paul says both physical and spiritual trainings hold value. How does Paul contrast physical and spiritual training?
• What are the ways in which we can train ourselves to be godly?
• What are ways in which you are training yourself to be godly? What are additional ways in which you can do so?

Notes

• It is important to note that they both are valuable, and this should be an affirmation to those who pursue both physical and spiritual training. However, Paul reminds us that spiritual training brings about promise for both this life and the one to come, whereas physical training is valuable for only this life. It is the eternal return on investment in spiritual training that gives it greater worth and value. 
• First, Paul writes that people must forego “godless myths and old wives’ tales” – aka compelling words that are not filled with the hope and certainty of God’s promises. Myths and tales give us good ideas, but they do not nourish our souls the way that God’s teaching does. In this vein, Paul further encourages Timothy to be devoted to the reading and preaching of the Word. He is encouraged to further pursue the spiritual gifts and also to strive to be an example in all facets of his life: speech, action, love, faith, and purity. Lastly, Timothy is charged to live diligently and let others look into how his life is run – this type of spiritual accountability with his public life is meant to spur him on in godliness.
• Personal reflection.

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Evening Reflection

How was your time with God today? What are steps you can take to maintain diligence in seeking God? Pray that God will give you these opportunities again tomorrow.

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, originally posted on April 10, 2019, 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

“No Other gods Before Me”

Exodus 20:1-6

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Recently, a pastor and I were discussing the family dynamics of Chinese households in China. Because many families only have one child, these children are doted upon, not only by parents, but also grandparents. Parents spend most of their time and energy working to financially provide for their children. Grandparents, who are retired, spend much of their time taking their grandchildren to and from extra-curricular activities. 

While this may seem like an ideal situation, this puts tremendous pressure on these children. Why? Parents and grandparents pour all of their time and resources into their children, so that their children may grow up to become successful, and, in return, take care of them. Thus, a big struggle for parents in Chinese churches is that they begin to idolize their children.

In this passage, after the Israelites have encamped next to Mount Sinai, Moses meets with the Lord. The Lord then directs him to tell the Israelites that if they keep the covenant, then, they would become the most treasured possession among all peoples.  Once the Israelites agree to follow the Lord, the Lord commands them to consecrate themselves because He is going to speak to Moses for the Israelites to hear. Quickly He imparts the Ten Commandments for the Israelites to obey, the first of which is, “You shall have no other gods before me” (v. 3). 

Upon hearing the phrase, “Other gods,” we often think of physical idols found in temples. While these are certainly other gods, many of us are not tempted to bow down before them. Yet, many of us still struggle with this first commandment.  How so?  The gods with which we struggle in the 21^st century are not made of stone, gold, or silver; rather, these so-called gods are seemingly good things discreetly integrated into our daily lives. Like the example about Chinese families, our gods are anything that we think can save or satisfy us apart from God. These gods can come in the form of our children, social media, finances, degrees, etc. The scary thing is that we do not even realize these things have become our gods.

God puts this verse as the first commandment because He wants to make it very clear—not that He is an egocentric God—that our lives must be God-centered. Our God is the only person who can truly save and satisfy us; turning to anything else will only hurt us in the end. 

This morning, invite the Holy Spirit into your heart to make you aware of anything that might be a god in your life. Is there anything in your life that you have become dependent or has become your mode of satisfaction? If there is, ask the Lord for forgiveness and to help you become more God-centered.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for saving us through your son, Jesus Christ. Lord, You call us to live God-centered lives because only You can truly save and satisfy us. You do not want us to live under the lie that these other gods can do the same. If there is anything in my life that has taken your place, please help me turn back to You. In your name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 2

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Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:19-24: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Questions to consider

• Why does Jesus teach us not to store up treasures here on earth?
• What does the metaphor in verses 22-23 mean?
• Why is it impossible to serve two masters?

Notes

• Jesus teaches us not to store up treasures here on earth because these earthly treasures are temporary and will decay. Even in the digital world, cyberspace is not safe from “viruses,” power outages, and the disappearance of backups.

• In this passage, the eyes represent the heart. Therefore, if the heart is healthy, then the whole body would be full of light. However, if the heart is unhealthy, then the whole body would be full of darkness.
• It is impossible to serve two masters because our heart’s affection cannot be divided. Our hearts will naturally love one and reject the other. Therefore, we must give our Lord an undivided heart. 

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Evening Reflection

This morning, we invited the Holy Spirit to help us become aware of some idols in your life. This evening, take some time to reflect why these “things or persons” have become idols? What are some ways that you can protect your heart?

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Christine Li, was originally posted on January 20, 2019. Christine serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Speaking Truths to One Another” 

Exodus 9:13 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me’”

Proverbs 27:5-6 

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love.⁶ Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.”

One of my most positive relationships at work has come with a woman who managed me for some time. Several months after we started working together, she called me in the middle of the day to say, “I want you to know that I care a lot about you, and I need you to remember that as I address something…” and identified a problem at work that reflected poorly on me. As she laid it out, the words stung, but because I knew she was right, and I knew the observations came from a place of concern, it became an extremely rewarding conversation. Because of her constructive and caring feedback, I grew a lot, and I still appreciate that she is someone I trust to tell me the truth and to say it for my good. 

While human nature may be critical and judgmental, few of us are comfortable having hard conversations or confrontations. Yet, sometimes God challenges us to step into the lives of our brothers/sisters to kindly direct them into the truth. Without truth, we can easily deceive ourselves, and we suffer the consequences of our own blind spots. With the help of brothers and sisters who are willing and glad to help us in our weaknesses, we can find true healing, restoration, and growth. 

Done well, loving confrontation will bring life and healing to us and to others. Today, let’s resolve to devote ourselves to the growth and godliness of those around us. May we not let temporary awkwardness or insecurity separate us from the lasting fruits that would result from these conversations. Let us ask God to give us the love and courage to be forthright friends and to be completely devoted to others’ growth and godliness. And let us ask Him also for humility to receive and internalize instruction when it is given to us. 

Prayer: Father, I want to grow in Your grace, but You also know that I am a coward at times. Would You give my brothers and sisters the courage, love, and devotion to bring Your truth into my life? For their sakes, too, make me a faithful friend who will push them towards You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 1

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Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 4:25-32: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Questions to Consider

• What are the ways in which we should speak to one another?
• The context for this passage is that Paul is giving instructions on what holy living looks like. How is our speech tied to holy living?
• Paul suggests here that the purpose of our words is not self-expression but rather building each other up. What would it look like for you and me to make that our primary motivation each time we speak?

Notes

• Paul instructs that our speech should be truthful to each other. However, our speech should also be free of bitterness, anger, and malicious intents. Conversations with each other must be kind, compassionate, and full of forgiveness. The goal of our words should be to bless one another and build each other up. 
• Speaking is also an action. Just as we must not steal, we also must not sin by the words that we say. There is a great deal of emphasis in this passage to be careful of the attitudes and words that spring from us; it seems that our words should be as carefully trained as our other actions are. 
• Personal reflection.

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Evening Reflection

Take some time to reflect on your conversations from today. Were they fuller of truth and the desire to bring life to others? Let’s ask Him to give us grace again for tomorrow and to be people who treasure His truth and goodness above everything else.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 24, 2019. Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Empathy and Sympathy”: Which One Does Jesus Have for Us?

Exodus 39:1-7 

“From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments, for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 2 He made the ephod of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 3 And they hammered out gold leaf, and he cut it into threads to work into the blue and purple and the scarlet yarns, and into the fine twined linen, in skilled design. 4 They made for the ephod attaching shoulder pieces, joined to it at its two edges. 5 And the skillfully woven band on it was of one piece with it and made like it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 6 They made the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold filigree, and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. 7 And he set them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel, as the Lord had commanded Moses.”

Social psychologist Brene Brown has recently become increasingly popular for her insights into topics like shame and vulnerability. As for me, I’ve benefited from her work on the difference between empathy and sympathy. For Brown, sympathy is often an unhelpful response to someone else’s suffering because it is essentially an act of feeling sorry for someone without connecting with that person in the place of pain. For example, sympathy responds to someone’s miscarriage with, “At least you know you can get pregnant.” Or to someone’s struggling marriage with, “At least you have a marriage.” At church a sympathetic response might look like cliché answers like, “Don’t worry, God has a plan in all of this.”  While these types of responses to people’s pains are our attempts at fixing the problem, according to Brown, they rarely make a situation better. 

Empathy on the other hand is our desire not to solve the issue but to step into that person’s place of pain. It is to connect and identify with what they’re going through—to help the suffering person feel understood and heard. According to Brown’s research, it is the empathic response that actually brings healing and solace to the other. Simply put, identifying with a person’s concerns and issues has a profound impact when it comes to comforting those who are struggling. 

In today’s passage, we are given a description of the ephod worn by the high priest. It details the different materials used to design the priest’s uniform. An interesting detail is found in verses 6-7, where it says that the names of the sons of Israel are engraved onto the stones that are on the ephod. This small detail speaks to the primary role of the high priest, which was to take the burdens and concerns of the people into the presence of God that resided in the temple. They were to intercede on behalf of the Israelites before God. They were called to care for their people. 

Interestingly, in the book of Hebrews, Jesus is called the better high priest. There are numerous reasons as to why He is greater than an ordinary high priest, but one significant reason is that Jesus personally knew our struggles. The high priest would only be able to bring the concerns of their people secondhand. They had not experienced or were able to identify with all the problems that afflicted the people. But Hebrews 4:15 says, in referring to Jesus, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses.” In other words, Jesus has gone through the entire spectrum of sin’s impact on humanity; that is, he has experienced loneliness, rejection, death and betrayal—but without ever giving into temptations (i.e., sinning). Thus, we can be assured that Jesus can empathize with us, for he has readily stepped into our place of pain to be the source of our comfort.  And it is with that heart Jesus constantly intercedes on our behalf to the Father. 

Let us, therefore, find comfort and healing in knowing that Jesus is the high priest who understands our pains, and is praying for us with intimate knowledge of our struggles! 

Prayer: Father, we thank You for Your Son Jesus who had become flesh and stepped into our broken world. We thank You that we have a high priest who is intimately acquainted with our pain and intercedes on our behalf. Help me to find comfort and hope in this truth especially in difficult seasons. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: John 21

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Lunch Break Study 

Read Matthew 26:36-46: Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.  See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Questions to Consider

• Why is Jesus so full of anguish in this story? 
• What do you notice about Jesus that is unusual in this passage? 
• What do you find comforting about this passage? 

Notes

• Jesus understands that soon He will be crucified and will have to bear the wrath of God on behalf of sinful humanity. The deepest source of pain and fear is that part of this process entails being forsaken by the Father with whom He has been in perfect and eternal communion. 
• Jesus has always seemed calm and collected throughout the gospel narratives. No matter what the issue or pressures He felt, it seemed as if He had everything under control. For the first time, we see Jesus deeply affected by what’s ahead; so much so that He is asking the Father if there was another way to fulfill His mission; and in other accounts He is sweating blood. The humanity of Jesus is clearly demonstrated in this passage. 
• Personal 

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Evening Reflection 

“In the midst of God’s own grief and sorrow, we see God with us and believe that he is able somehow to take up our burdens upon himself and deliver us from our despair. He is not distant from our pain. He understands our suffering because Jesus Christ – God in human flesh – suffered.” – Trevin Wax 

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on October 28, 2018, is provided by Pastor Paul Liu who pastors the Grace Covenant Church Singapore. He is a graduate of University of Illinois (BA) and Biblical Theological Seminary (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Unseen, Ugly, and Radical Beauty”

Jeremiah 48:31-33, 36, 46-47

Therefore I wail for Moab; I cry out for all Moab; for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn. 32 More than for Jazer I weep for you, O vine of Sibmah! Your branches passed over the sea, reached to the Sea of Jazer; on your summer fruits and your grapes the destroyer has fallen. 33 Gladness and joy have been taken away from the fruitful land of Moab; I have made the wine cease from the winepresses;
no one treads them with shouts of joy; the shouting is not the shout of joy… 36 Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. Therefore the riches they gained have perished… 46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone,
for your sons have been taken captive, and your daughters into captivity. 47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days, declares the Lord.” Thus far is the judgment on Moab.

Have you ever been happy that your friend failed?  They missed the last shot, made mistakes in their performance, or didn’t get the promotion they wanted.  You don’t want colossal failure for them; you just don’t want them to outshine you by a mile.  Maybe you feel better about yourself because of their failure.  Or, have you ever felt bad when your friend succeeded?  You’re happy for them, but at the same time, you’re not.  It’s almost like you can’t celebrate for them because you feel sorry for yourself.  If not, good for you!  But many of us have had thoughts along these lines.  It’s not that we despise our friends, but we love ourselves so much.  It’s pretty ugly.  It comes from a selfish spirit, an envious heart, and a competitive impulse.  Maybe it’s actually a form of hatred—like Jonah, who didn’t want God to forgive Nineveh because they were the enemy of Israel.  He didn’t want mercy for them, because he thought that they didn’t deserve it—again, pretty ugly.  Even scarier is how we can hide our ugliness from everyone else—but not from God.  This should remind us all—we don’t deserve God’s mercy either.  

Chapters about God’s judgment against sin and against nations like Philistia and Moab can be pretty heavy stuff.  But always traveling alongside God’s ferocious anger at sin is His audacious passion for a lost creation.  Even when Moab’s fate seems set, we see God’s compassion.  Neither God nor Jeremiah—who is known as the weeping prophet for a reason—delights in the suffering of the Moabites: “I wail for Moab; I cry out for all Moab; my heart moans for Moab like a flute.” This is not the unseen ugliness of the human heart; it’s the radical beauty of God’s compassion.  At the end of the chapter, even for Moab, is a promise of restoration: “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days, declares the Lord”—which points not to nationhood or prosperity but redemption.  In fact, through the prophet Isaiah, God declares of Jesus: “I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).  This means good news for all nations!  Never forget that we don’t deserve this.  And always celebrate and be glad that we have it through Jesus!

Prayer:  God, we thank You that in Jesus we have received mercy!  We don’t deserve it.  We deserve the opposite.  Expose the unseen ugliness of our hearts and lead us to the radical beauty of Your grace.  Help us today to see the beauty of Your compassions, the strength of Your victory, and make us a people who will live for Your fame and renown.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 20

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend 

“Surprised by His Grace”

Jeremiah 46: 25-26 

The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, said: “Behold, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him. 26 I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, declares the Lord.”

In today’s passage, we find a strange and unexpected plot twist. The whole chapter was committed to detailing the sure destruction of Egypt—that God was going to hand over their nation to Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. The scary part was that there was nothing they could do about it. No amount of preparation was going to change their fate, not only because the Babylonians were more powerful, but because it was the inevitable judgment of God that would come to pass. However, we see a sign of grace from God towards the Egyptians in verse 26. Jeremiah proclaims on behalf of God that they will not be completely decimated and their land will be “inhabited as in the days of old.” In light of their sin, God had every right to make them disappear from the face of the earth—but He preserves them in a surprising show of mercy. 

I am always surprised by the grace of God. Even as I continue to mature as a believer, there are so many areas of my life that need the sanctifying work of God so that I would be conformed into His image. And yet, in spite of my shortcomings, His grace continues to flow and take me by surprise. Even in my failure, His favor and provisions are so evident in my life. It seems as if His grace and mercy know no end. I know that many of us struggle with the shame of sin and thus distance ourselves from God thinking that we’ve lost His favor. We have a hard time believing that God can still love us because of how far we’ve fallen. But we see in this passage that even a pagan nation like Egypt can be recipients of God’s mercy. Let us not doubt the extent and persistence of His grace in our lives, and as the writer of Hebrews says, let us approach the throne of God boldly today! 

Prayer:  Father, I am astounded by Your constant love and grace in my life. I fall so short in so many areas of my life and yet, You shower me with Your favor. Thank You for Your persistent love and care! Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: John 18-19