November 21, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 21, 2017, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Turning Our Sorrows into Rejoicing”

Genesis 21.3, 6-7 (ESV)

Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.

6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

If you have spent some time browsing through YouTube, there’s a good chance that you have come across some of these videos: They capture the moments when an enlisted member of a family (a dad, a mom, a sibling, etc.) comes back from war or training, surprising their family on a special occasion. And my guess is that for many of us, watching these sweet moments of reunion, our hearts are full of joy, which often leaks out of our eyes in the form of tears. 

The human experience of crying is odd. Oftentimes, tears represent sorrow, pain, loss, while other times, tears are a sign of overwhelming joy and happiness. In today’s passage, we see another reaction that represents these extremes. If you remember back in Genesis 18, we see Abraham and Sarah encounter three men who foretell that Sarah will have a son next year, at the age of 90.  Hearing this news, Sarah laughs to herself. The nature of Sarah’s laugh has been somewhat debated by many theologians, but many agree that this laugh was an incredulous response, almost a mocking tone of disbelief. 

Now in Genesis 21, we see that Sarah is again laughing. In fact, Isaac’s name is derived from the word laughter. But this time, her laughter comes from a very different place. While there is still a sense of awe and disbelief, Sarah’s laughter is now one of incredible joy and amazement at how God had done the impossible. And here we see a central theme that surrounds God’s work.

God is a God who is able to turn our sorrows into rejoicing. Not only is He able, but He is willing. For those who trust in Him, they will experience this kind of transformation. Hearts are changed. Perspectives are shifted. Desires are redirected. What is good to our eyes changes from what is fleshly to what is spiritual—this is possible in God. As you reflect upon God’s ability to change your laughter of unbelief to laughter of joy, may you be reminded of God’s incredible love toward you.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are our heavenly Father who loves to give what is good to His children. Thank You that Your intent is always for good and not for evil. God, You are a God of the impossible—all things are possible in You, even changing of calloused hearts. May I be reminded of that power that can change even the darkest corners of my heart. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 30:1-4, 11-12 (ESV): I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. 3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. . . .11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever

Questions to Consider

  1. What reasons does David give in the Psalm for his exaltation of God? Are there parts of David’s life that would testify of this kind of God?
  2. Focus on verses 11-12. What can you learn from the contrasting emotions and experience the psalmist feels when God’s deliverance comes?  
  3. How does your understanding of question 2 change your understanding of the manner in which we are called to live our lives? 

Notes

  1. You can see that David has experienced deliverance from his enemies (Saul, Absalom), from living as a nomad in fear of his life (1 Sam 27, 2 Sam 15), the struggle of being anointed king yet the fulfillment of that seeming so distant, etc.
  2. The contrast is from mourning to dancing. Sometimes, all we ask is from mourning to peace, but God gives so much more than that. He not only removes our sackcloth of mourning, but He clothes us with gladness. He is indeed a God who can do far greater than what we can imagine or think.
  3. As God is a God who turns mourning into not just peace but dancing, the posture in which we are called to live our lives is found in verse 12: not be silent; sing your praise to Him. Not just peace, not just comfort—we are to take our dancing and turn it into rejoicing to His glory.

Evening Reflection

Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 30: “Observe the contrast, God takes away the mourning of his people; and what does he give them instead of it? Quiet and peace? Aye, and a great deal more than that… Glory be to thee, O God, if, by a sense of full forgiveness and present justification, thou hast enriched my spiritual nature and filled me with all the fullness of God.”

As you have spent the day reflecting on a God who takes us from doubt and mourning to faith and rejoicing, in what areas of your life do you need this truth to be spoken to? Spend some time this evening reminding yourself of the God who is able to turn your mourning into dancing. And respond in appropriate worship to Him. 

November 20, Monday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 13, 2017, is provided by Jennifer Kim who had served as a staff in multiple AMI churches in the past, She is a graduate of Boston University (B.A.) and Alliance Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Cost of Ingratitude”

Luke 17:11-19

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

With the pumpkin spice lattes, cornucopia decorations, and colder weather upon us, it’s clear that the long awaited day of food coma and family get-togethers is approaching. But we all know that the reason for the season isn’t for the turkey or the cornbread, or even the pumpkin pie, but it’s to remember all that we should be thankful for this season. I’m sure you’ve heard countless messages and read dozens of devotionals explaining why we should be grateful and what we should be grateful for, but have you ever wondered what the cost of ingratitude is?

In today’s passage we read of the ten men with leprosy who call out to the Lord for his mercy and healing. As Jesus directs them to go and show themselves to the priests, the men realize they are healed, but only one out of the ten men turn back to give God praise. What’s interesting here is that Luke, the author, makes it a point to emphasize that the one person who returned to give Jesus thanksgiving was “a Samaritan” (v.16), a “foreigner” (v.18). We can assume by this statement that the other nine were Israelites, the chosen people of God, yet the very people who were called to be set apart fail to return and “give praise to God except this foreigner” (v.18). For Jesus, it was important that all of the men return to Jesus to give gratitude for what He had done. It didn’t matter that the nine were Israelites, it didn’t matter if they were thankful in their hearts, and it didn’t even matter if they knew Jesus was the healer, what mattered most to him was that they would express their gratitude.  We can learn from this story that unexpressed gratitude will always be received and felt like ingratitude.

Often times we have this mentality that we do not need to give thanksgiving because it’s already understood or because we are entitled to what we have received. How many times have we said, “My parents/friends/pastors know I’m thankful for them, I don’t need to tell them,” or how about “I don’t need to say thank you, that’s their job”? But Jesus shows us that unexpressed gratitude is also failure to worship. Clearly, it was important for Jesus that all of the lepers return to give praise, and we too are called to praise God through thanksgiving. Can I ask you: Are you living your life like the nine or are you living your life like the one who turned back to give Jesus thanksgiving? We are all where we are today because someone has led us to this point, so let us live our lives like the thankful leper by giving gratitude where gratitude is due.

Prayer: God, thank you that every good and perfect gift is from You. Help me to remember this and give thanksgiving in all seasons of life. And help me to be a worshipper by giving thanksgiving to the people who have helped me be where I am today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Exodus 14:10-14:  As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!” 13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Questions to Consider

  1. Why did the Israelites so quickly forget God’s intervention and faithfulness in their lives?
  2. What did Moses say to the Israelites in the midst of their fear?
  3. What steps can you take to stand firm and remember the character and faithfulness of God in your life?

Note

  1. It is part of our fallen nature—“What have you done for me lately!”  Somewhere along the way, they became very entitled—they even complained about having to  eat manna every day.
  2. Despite their ungrateful attitude, Moses assures the Israelites that God will continue to support them.  
  3. Get a blank sheet of paper and write down all the things God has done for you throughout the years.  Then, thank the Lord for being faithful and kind to you for all these years.    

Evening Reflection

Today we learned that there is a cost to ingratitude and that is failure to give God worship. We are indebted to so many people who have helped us be where we are today. To cultivate this heart of gratitude let us reflect on the people that you may have taken for granted. I want to encourage you to write them a note expressing your gratitude and give it to them this season.

November 19, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on November 19, 2016.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) and Columbia International University where he studied Islam (M.A.). 

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Great Theologian Better Known for His Devotions to God”

Matthew 22:35-7

And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

One component to loving God with our mind is expanding and developing it.  Much in the same way that lifting weights can develop muscles, grappling with difficult concepts can sharpen our minds, which is the subject of today’s devotional.  Don’t throw in the towel too early; stay with it and both your mind and your heart will be enriched (P. Ryun). 

In the 4th century A.D., the church fought for true worship against the heresy of Apollinarianism, whose founder Apollinarius proposed that humans are composed of three aspects: body, soul, and spirit. Thus, according to Apollinarius, Jesus was divine in that the Logos took the place of a spirit in Him; but that His body and soul were human (i.e. “God in a body”).

In response, Gregory of Nyssa rose to combat this heresy because he saw it undermining salvation: If Jesus’ humanity was not complete, then our human nature could not be fully saved through Him. In his writings, Gregory argued from a place of humility, as he always reminded his readers, that ultimately God’s essence is transcendent (i.e., beyond this world).  Gregory then went on to explain that in Christ, there are two “what” (i.e. full divinity and full humanity) and one “who” (i.e. Jesus Himself); but in the Trinity, there are three “who” (i.e. Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and one “what” (i.e. full divinity). For Gregory, the “key to unlocking but not destroying the mystery of the Trinity and Jesus Christ is the distinction between whatness and whoness”

Interestingly enough, Gregory is widely known not for his theological contributions but for his devotional life. When he wasn’t combating heresies, Gregory “wrote many reflections and commentaries on Scripture, most notably on Moses, the Lord’s Prayer, the Song of Songs, and the Beatitudes.”  For Gregory, Christianity was not just a religion of sound doctrine but also of full heart and spirit engagement.  When historians reflect on Gregory’s life, many believe that his most important contributions to Christianity were in the areas of spirituality and biblical vision, as opposed to doctrine.

It is a common struggle to worship God with one part of ourselves but not others. As we enter into service today, let’s seek to worship God with everything we have, because He is worthy. From this day forward, let’s aim to pour out our hearts, souls and minds to Him.  

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are worthy of everything that I have. All that I have is from You, and You have given me much more than I ever deserve. Help me to fully worship You today and from this day forward. May You be the only One to receive my worship and adoration. In Your Name I pray. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 8

November 18, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on September 3, 2016, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary.  Jason is a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Stench of Death”

John 11:38-44 

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. [39] Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” [40] Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” [41] So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” [43] When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” [44] The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

In the city, the strongest sensations may not be the sights but the smells.  An interesting mixture of something rotting and urine constantly reminds you of where you are.  Our preference is to avoid such unpleasant or ugly things, but life is not found in an artificially sterile environment—neither is glory.

Jesus asks that the stone to Lazarus’s tomb be taken away.  Being courteous, Martha desires to shield Jesus from the awful smell that must be within.  But Jesus intends for all to see the glory of God.

Glory shines brightest in the darkest, ugliest places.  God’s glory is revealed most clearly in the cross of Christ—the most awful spectacle in history.  So when we avoid the dark places of our world or deny that the darkness in our hearts exists, we prevent ourselves from seeing the Lord of Glory conquer that darkness and make things new.  

There is no resurrection without death.  Lazarus had to die in order to be raised again.  And when Lazarus is raised from the dead, he is not raised so he can flee from a world of darkness to one that is light and easy.

We must not forget that later the Pharisees plot to kill Lazarus.  He very likely experiences persecution as a member of a sect banned from the synagogues and Jewish communities.  Lazarus does not live forever and eventually experiences death again.

Lazarus is raised so that he and many others might see for themselves the weightiness and splendor of God.  And those who believe are then sent back into a world of darkness to honor this awesome God and call others to bow before His glory.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that You do not turn away from the ugliness of our world and of our hearts.  You shine, You redeem, You restore.  May we follow You and by Your Spirit may we shine Your light, and may we and those around us see for ourselves the light of the glory of God. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 6-7

November 17, Friday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on June 9, 2017, is written by Tina who attended Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). She and her husband Anthony are now in E. Asia as missionaries. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Being Rich Towards God”

Revelation 3:14-18 

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Did you know that God’s desire for you is to become rich? He wills for you to have abundance. The trap that prevents us from experiencing the richness and wealth that God envisions for us is our spiritual blindness to what true wealth really looks like. 

The believers in the Laodicea had fallen into a deep blindness of themselves. They had become secure in their material affluence, content about where they had arrived spiritually and proud that they reached a place of maturity on their own. In their eyes, they are rich and have need of nothing. As a result of their self-definition, Jesus is showing them that they have actually become poor—poor in their ministry and service towards others, and in turn, poor towards God. Though they have become ineffective and “distasteful” to the Lord, the Lord is mercifully drawing them back to repentance and teaching them the path to richness. This is how we know that God genuinely desires His children to be rich. In v. 18, Jesus says, “buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich.” He advises the believers to turn to Him to receive spiritual wealth that comes from the molding and shaping that He does on their lives. He invites them to attain from Him white garments so they can be clothed in their identity and true security that comes from Christ. This way, they may become genuinely rich and consequently be rich towards God and others. 

Similarly, apostle Paul instructs his mentee, Timothy, to teach the church in Ephesus the same spiritual lesson of being rich in God rather than in earthly wealth and values. He says in 1 Timothy 6:18-19, “Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.” It is only by pursuing the type of richness that God defines that propels us to truly live “that which is life indeed” and that which God designed for us. 

Prayer: Dear Jesus, thank You that You saved me that I may have life and have it abundantly (Jn. 10:10). Teach and guide me to be rich in You and to find life and fulfillment from Your well. Allow my life to be a vessel of generosity to others so that I may glorify You and be an extension of Your kindness. In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 12:13-21: Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Questions to Consider

1. What is the root issue that Jesus is drawing out to the man in vv. 13-15?

2. How does the rich man in the parable live his life?

3. What is the spiritual lesson that Jesus is teaching through this parable?

Notes

1. Jesus is pointing to the issue of man’s greed, which manifests itself in striving after material possessions. 

2. The rich man is blessed with an abundance of crops. However, instead of using his resources and gains to serve God and to bless others, he is storing up the resources for himself. He is investing in his own comfort and security. 

3. Everything we have, even the breath in our lungs and our abilities, comes from God. Everything is meant to glorify God and to be used for eternal purposes. Jesus is admonishing the man to be “rich towards God” instead of storing up treasures on earth like the rich man in the parable. 

Evening Reflection

This evening, let’s spend some time reflecting on Jesus’ words and let Him direct us to invest in what is eternal and lasting. Luke 12:22-23, 31:  “And He said to His disciples, ‘For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on.For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing…But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you’”

November 16, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 10, 2017.

Devotional Thoughts for This Morning

“Missionary Jon’s First Day at the ‘Office’”

2 Tim. 2:1-2 (NIV 1984)

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

 One word aptly describes the Korean-Argentian missionary who invited me to teach at the semiary where she operates with her Latino husband: overworked.  Because everyone who comes there to teach for a week is a Korean pastor, she must translate all their handouts to Spanish prior to their coming as well as interpret for them while they teach.  So, my time there became half a vacation for her in terms of translation, but not by much since she still prepared all my meals (Korean) while tending to her two active daughters (2 and 4).  Apparently, she is the only one in her organizaiton of 350+ missionaries who can do what she does.  

One afternoon, the missionary commented how encouraging it was for her and the students to see that I came with an apprentice for training purposes, because it showed the importance of producing those who are able to teach others, and how to go about doing so.  She was referring to Jonathan, a staff member at Radiance Christian Church (S.F.), who was part of my cohort group for 10 weeks.  A native of Bolivia, he is exploring the possibility of serving the Lord abroad, but on this trip he did more than that.  He was not only a tremendous blessing to the Cuban students but to me as well, since his several hours of instruction gave me a chance to rest in what was a grueling session, particularly from Wednesday to Thursday (15 sessions in 18 hours/all told, 19 sessions in 23 hours).  Jonathan also prepared the test (41 questions) and graded them (all 71).

Just going to Cuba to teach was a great privillege, but training Jonathan was what made it fun.  I had even more fun when Pastor Hugo, with whom I trained while serving in Meixco, became connected to the seminary: he’ll be going there to offer one of my courses later this year.  

Do you serve the Lord in any capacity?  Then invest whatever you have received from the Lord—knowledge, skill, or money—into those up-and-coming learners who desire to serve God: “Produce reliable men who are qualified to teach others.”Thus, I was happy to report this to Pastor Mark, Jon’s boss: “Jon showed all the earmarks of having the potential to become a dynamic and passionate teacher of God’s Word.”  Now, that’s a lot of fun!  

Prayer:  Lord, I thank You for the things that have been given to me.  I also thank You for all the people who have invested into my life so that I can be productive for you and in life.   Motivate me to give back, espeically to other young people, so that they can serve with great effectiveness.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Rom. 15:14: I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.

Lk. 19:20-4: Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’

Questions to Consider

1. Someone said, “You can’t give what you don’t possess.”  With respect to teaching, what are some prerequisites of producing reliable men who are qualified to teach others?

2. Ultimately, why is God not pleased when we don’t share with others what He has given us?

3. What are some common excuses to justify why we do not try to reproduce ourselves?  Pray about investing yourself into the life of a person who needs what you have. 

Notes

1. Two of the prerequisites are character (as indicated by “full of goodness”) and knowledge.  Without character, no one may want to learn from you; without knowledge, no one would feel the need to learn from you.

2. Not sharing with others what God has given us shows that we are lazy at best and greedy at worst.  The operative word is stewardship: we must faithfully manage what is given to us so that others may benefit from the investment God has made in our lives. 

3. The unfaithful servant in the parable had the gall to lay the blame on God Himself, presenting him as unfair and unprincipled.  Some of the excuses among us may be: “I’m not ready yet,” “It’s not the right time” (Hag. 1:2); “Someone better can do it”.  The truth: we prioritize increasing our own self-worth (often at the expense of others) above serving God.   

Evening Reflection

 Pastor Hugo has probably spent more than 1,000 hours with me in the classroom over the eight years I taught him; he often came to my house as well for further instruction.  I sent him out to churches and schools in and outside of our city to teach my courses.  He continues to impart them, including Greek, which he has introduced to a college in Indiana as a program for Hispanics.  As for me, I feel so much joy, satisfaction, and gratitude toward the Lord.  

I invite you to pray about giving yourself to someone who wants to learn from you. “Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35b).

November 15, Wednesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provide by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on May 5, 2017.  Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“A New Spiritual Body”

1 Cor. 15:42-44a

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

As you get a little bit older, you’re a little bit wiser (or at least you should be).  It’s one of the benefits of getting older as God’s children. But, you also begin to notice that your body isn’t what it used to be. I remember when I was younger, if I ever twisted my ankle playing a game of basketball, I was right back in the gym after 2-3 days of rest. Today, I find that I’m out for 2-3 weeks before my ankles feel strong enough to run again. As we get older, our bodies begin to remind us just how frail and weak we are, until one day it ceases to work altogether. 

It’s a rather morbid thought. However, the Bible tells us that for the believers, that is hardly the end. The good news is that one day our mortal bodies will be completely transformed, taking on a new “spiritual body.” We might not know all of the fine details as to what that will look like, but Paul does give us few thoughts so that we approach even our mortality with a new perspective. He says that the new body will be “imperishable”; it will be raised “in glory” and “in power.” Those phrases, along with other illustrations that Paul uses to describe what is to come in verses 35-49, gives me a sense of optimistic anticipation. 

If you’ve ever lost a loved one in this life, there is much pain and grief. But for the believers, there is more than just consolation. There is good news because there is a glorious new body that is promised to those who have fallen asleep. Can you just imagine your parent or your grandparent who have passed away being embodied with an imperishable body?  A body that, if you could see it, you would describe as one “in glory” and “in power”?

Do you ever fear death?  Who hasn’t from one time or another?  However, God’s word reminds us that we have no reason to fear death, for we will be resurrected one day in a new and improved body beyond our wildest imagination.  By the way, I wonder if I’ll ever sprain an ankle with my resurrected body?  Naw!

Prayer: Lord, thank You that Your Word promises me a new resurrected body for all of eternity. But as long as I live in this body of mine, help me to serve You by telling my family and friends of the good news of hope that is in Jesus Christ. In Your Name, Amen! 

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 3

Lunch Break Study  

Read Matt. 27:50-3: And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Questions to Consider

  1. Upon Jesus’ death, what phenomena do Matthew record for his readers? 
  2. What is significant about the tearing of the curtain of the temple? 
  3. What is significant about the raising of the dead to life? 

Notes

  1. There are two: the tearing of the curtain of the temple and many holy people being raised to life. 
  2. Jesus’ death is the beginning of the end for the temple system that had opposed Him, that had denied Him, and that had prevented people of all nations into fellowship with God. Now people would have direct communion with God through Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death. 
  3. This is a very odd story, but Matthew intends us to see the story as picture-language, a vivid way of saying “from that moment on, death was a defeated force.” It was a hint of what would come at the end of all things, the great final resurrection of which Paul speaks about. 

Evening Reflection

As the week of Thanksgiving approaches, reflect on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and ask the Holy Spirit to shape your heart to reflect that of Jesus.

November 14, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotionals, first posted on November 7, 2017, 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

“Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs of God”

Genesis 19:12-14 

Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, “Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

I’m not sure if this is a trait more common to men or women, but I’ve often been guilty of testing fate by letting the gas tank run all the way to empty. I know I shouldn’t do this, and it’s probably an excuse to say I’m testing the fuel efficiency of my car or wanting to know how many miles to the gallon I’m getting. But I keep doing it, in spite of all the warning systems around me: my wife, the actual light on the dashboard, the occasional loss of power when I press the gas… When will I ever learn?

Warnings are all around us. In fact, if you just look around you, there are probably a dozen in plain view—labels describing proper dosages, the battery indicator on your phone, weather alerts, what not to do with your electronics, etc. Most of these warnings are common sense. And when life is at stake, the signs get noticeably bolder: “Peanut-Free Zone,” “Construction Area,” and the always effective, “Danger.” Warnings save lives.

So when Lot’s guests cause all the men in the city to go blind, the warning lights come on. And when these messengers of God inform Lot that Sodom is facing God’s judgment, he takes the warning to heart. Knowing the severity of the danger brought out an urgency in Lot’s heart. He immediately goes to and begs his future son-in-laws to flee the impending doom. Sadly, they thought it was all a joke. Maybe because it seemed unlikely; maybe because the city had great security; likely because they shared the brazen confidence of Sodom’s citizens—who thought nothing of abusing strangers to satisfy their own appetites. They did what they wanted.  Why listen to God? Again, confirming the lack of righteousness in their midst, the warning of God went unheeded.

As we think on this passage, we must ask ourselves: Are there any warning signs in my life that I am willfully or unintentionally ignoring? Am I taking seriously the warnings of God’s word about the priorities and values that lead to flourishing, and the way that leads to disgrace? What warnings do those around me need to hear? And how urgently do I sense their need of it?

Prayer:  Lord, we thank You for the truth of Your word, which informs and inspires but also warns. Give us a teachable spirit that we might learn from You and live in a manner that brings You glory. Stir in us urgency for those around us who live with an unfounded security in their own strength, in the foolishness of men, and in the lies of the Enemy. And give us opportunities to share Your truth with gentleness and respect. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 2

Lunch Break

Read Ephesians 5:15-21: Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Questions to Consider

  1. What activities does Paul suggest would lead us to wisdom?
  2. What warnings does Paul give about our times?
  3. Think of one way in which you can invest in wise living and heed the warning of this passage?

Note

  1. Positively, the wise person has learned the value of self-evaluation (v.15), maximizing time (v.16), and seeking God’s will (v.17). This person also avoids that which dulls his/her senses (i.e. wine in v.18) and pursues that which stimulates his devotion (corporate worship in v.19-20). Ultimately, what we need to live wisely is not just lectures or experience, we need the Holy Spirit , who leads us into truth (John 16:13). Lastly, the wise person knows to invest in relationships. There is strength in numbers and a strengthening that comes when we choose to submit to other believers.
  2. Paul is a realist about both the struggles and the adversity these early Christians would face. He reminds them that a “walk” –meaning, a way of life—can be compromised by carelessness, laziness, and foolishness. So they must be vigilant and self-aware. He also tells them “the days are evil,” not to scare them, but to remind them that until Christ returns, there is a real battle that is being waged for our integrity, our faith, and the souls of men and women. This is again a call to vigilance and consistency in our worship and self-watch.

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

While it’s true everyone needs encouragement in order to persevere in faith, it’s also true that God’s word rebukes and corrects us (2 Timothy 3:16). How regular is your time in God’s word? Think about how often you sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit about sin in your life. If it’s very rare, begin to ask the Holy Spirit to make you more sensitive to His activity in your life. 

November 13, Monday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 20, 2017, is provided by Pastor Joshua Kim. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot Theological Seminary (Th.M.), is the Lead Pastor of Upper Room Seattle church.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Genesis 21.1-5 (NASB)

Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. 2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

After my time in the office, I had a dinner meeting with one of our church members. Thirty minute prior to our meeting, I sent him a text message confirming where we will be meeting. No response. I sent another text message making sure I had the time right. No response. A little confused, I kept waiting at the office. After waiting about 1.5 hours, I received a text message: “I’m so sorry PJosh…” 

The nature of the “meet up” has changed ever since we’ve become attached to these things called cellphones. Whereas before you would make plans to meet up with someone at a certain location at a certain time, nowadays all these things can change in a matter of a text message and a few emojis (😱😭💼🌙😴). A promise is not what it used to be. 

In today’s passage, we see God’s fulfillment of His promise to Abraham and Sarah through the birth of Isaac. We see how different God’s promises are from our promises. There is a weightiness, a breadth to God’s promises that help us to see how God is at work when we carefully consider the accounts of Scripture.

In these first few verses of chapter 21, the writer goes to great lengths to emphasize how exact God’s fulfillment of His promises truly is:

Then the Lord took note of Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.

The author couldn’t make it any clearer: God’s promises are exact. In this case, it’s not just the promise that Abraham and Sarah will have a son. No, the greater reality is that not only God fulfills His promises, but He does it in an exact way, at an exact time, with exact detail, according to a grander plan that goes beyond us. God’s promises are not wishful thinking; it’s not like our, “Oh, I hope I can make it to my meeting today” kind of things. God’s promises are in perfect alignment to His perfect plan for the world.

For all of us who are waiting upon the Lord, my encouragement is that we would be able to catch how, in the waiting, God is working things towards the fulfillment of His promises. Even in the minutest of details, it is being worked together according to His perfect plan. In the waiting, He has not left you. His promise to you is so much more than just the end result.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being the Grand Orchestrator of all things. Not only are You true to Your promises, You are working in the finest of details that lead me to Your promises. Help me to catch the ways in which You are currently at work in my life even when the things promised may be far away. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Proverbs 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 5.1-5 (ESV): Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to verses 1-2, what is available to us now? What is to come?
  2. In considering the progression Paul describes in verses 3-4, how are we to understand our current experiences in light of what is to come? 
  3. As we have reflected on the nature of God’s promises, why might there be a seeming “delay” in God’s fulfillment of His promises to You?

Notes

  1. There are two book ends being presented here. The legal status of being justified before the true Judge because of what Christ has done that is available now, and the hope of the glory that is promised to us, as we are glorified with Christ in the last days. 
  2. For those who are in faith, we stand in this middle space between the now and the not yet. It is easy for us to wonder, especially in times of suffering, why Jesus seems to be delayed in His return or why this hope seems so far away. But what verses 3-4 teaches us is that there are things that are at work in us right now that grows hope, joy, character, endurance… all these things that cause us to become more Christ-like. And this is all part of God’s perfect plan and timing. 
  3. Personal reflection. Consider that this may be the case with other promises God makes in your life. He’s not only concerned about the actual fulfillment of the promises, but He wants to bring you closer to His grand plan for your life. 

Evening Reflection

As you end this day, take a moment to consider the things that cause you to be impatient. What’s at the heart of this impatience? How does this reflect your understanding of God? Does this match the God that is revealed in Scripture who fulfilled His promises to a 100 year old man and a 90 year old woman who were waiting for a son? Spend some time worshipping the God who fulfills His promises.

November 12, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on August 21, 2016. Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Drop in the Bucket”

John 8:56-59

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

The Bible is full of paradoxes. My church just finished a sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer. During one week we learned to approach God as Father – embracing sweet intimacy and closeness with Him, the access that a little child has to her dad. The following week we focused on hallowing God’s name and were reminded just how holy, other, and awesome God is. One Christian writer tried to put this into context: “If the distance between the Earth and the sun, which is 92 million miles, was the thickness of a piece of paper, the diameter of our galaxy would be a stack of papers 310 miles high. And our galaxy is less than a speck of dust in the part of the universe that we can see. And that part of the universe might just be a speck of dust compared to all the universe. And… [it’s] God who holds all this together with the word of his power…” 

Now, who in their right mind instinctively approaches the One so fearsome with the freedom of a little child? So, how do intimacy and reverence coexist in our relationship with God? Most of us tend toward one or the other. Well, scripture doesn’t resolve this for us (by prioritizing one or eliminating the other) – both are true and we somehow live in the tension. There are many paradoxes like this in scripture – like the last shall be first or you must lose your life to save it. 

Arguably the greatest paradox in the New Testament is the incarnation – the reality that Jesus is fully God and fully man. Our mathematical equations don’t even know how to add one to one to get one. So it’s no wonder why Jesus’ listeners had a really hard time accepting His claims to divinity (like the glaring one made in vs. 58) – so much so they tried to execute Him for blaspheming (being irreverent of God and speaking lies concerning Him). “How could this be?” they wondered. He is a man, which is literally not God (or so they thought).  

As mind-boggling as it may be, God did take on flesh and lives in the world He made. And it’s within those two seemingly incompatible realities that we find the beauty of the Gospel. One phrase that got me through my seminary studies of scripture was, “Live in the tension!” Sometimes God’s truth is hard to believe or understand and sometimes there seem to be paradoxes in our very lives (between our present experience and God’s promises, for example). But we don’t have to resolve the tensions or explain them away. We actually find satisfying truth when we have enough faith to live smack dab in the [radical] middle of them. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, your ways are higher than my ways and your thoughts higher than my thoughts. Help me to trust in all Your wisdom, even when I struggle to understand. And help me to cling to all Your truths, regardless of my circumstances. In Jesus’ name.  

Bible Reading for Today: 3 John 1