November 4, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on August 27, 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

“The Teaching that Dismissed the Trinity”

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceived yourselves.  Do what it says.

With apologies to used-car salesmen, but they don’t have the best of reputations.  Heaven forbid if the Christian leaders are viewed in such a low light!  Truly, spiritual leaders who display their faith in both word and deed are an immense treasure.  One such leader was Basil—one of the so-called Cappadocian fathers who faithfully endorsed the Nicene Creed, the one that declared that Christ is equal to God in divine essence (325).  

During Basil’s time, a heresy called Eunomianism, which dismissed the Trinity as a disguised paganism, was gaining popularity.  Today, this erroneous argument is made by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eunomianism also doubted that the Son could be “begotten” and eternal.  This, then, led to denying Jesus’ full divinity, despite recognizing Him as Savior. 

In response, Basil skillfully refuted this heresy by noting that if the Son was merely a creature, humanity would still be without a true revelation of God. Using the imagery of the sun’s ray, Basil said that while the ray is begotten from the sun, yet it has existed with the sun since its beginning.  Likewise, though the Son was begotten, He has existed with the Father for eternity.

Thankfully, Basil also communicated Christ through his actions. One of his projects as Bishop of Caesarea was building a complex that provided housing and medical care for the needy. Basil also organized a soup kitchen and “gave away his personal inheritance to benefit the poor.” Furthermore, Basil publicly rebuked corrupt officials and excommunicated those involved in human trafficking. He was in many ways, “a man of vast learning, genuine eloquence and immense charity.” 

It’s easy to feel ashamed when we compare ourselves to Basil; especially if our confession of faith is not coherent with our actions. But let’s remember that Basil was a man just like us; and that it is only God’s grace that trains us to renounce worldly passions and to live godly lives (Titus 2:12). May we then display Him powerfully through word and deed.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the great truth that You loved me while I was still a sinner separated from You. Help me to love others in light of the love I have received from You. May what I know resonate deeply not only in my mind but also in my hands and feet as I interact with and serve others. In Your Name I pray. Amen

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 19-20

November 3, Friday

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 11, 2017.

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Can One Desire Too Much of a Good Thing?” (Shakespeare) 

Jeremiah 9:23-4 

This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, 24 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

Once, Pastor Barry bought me a scrumptious lobster roll while visiting his Boston church in 2015. Although just thinking about eating another one still whets my appetite, I dare not order a lobster plate at a restaurant because of its prohibitive cost.  So, it’s a great irony that I got to eat lobster three times that week in Cuba.  While its price (about $2) is still too high for most Cubans (making about $30 a month) to consume, my host spared no expense to feed me well.  But, as I was eating yet another lobster tail on my last day in Cuba, I felt neither excited nor craved to eat it.   So, “can one desire too much of a good thing”?  I would say “yes” and so does the Scripture.

Wealth is highly desired by many but “whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecc. 6:6).  Knowledge is coveted as well, and perhaps more so today since opportunity for higher education is readily available and accessible, but, “of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body” (Ecc. 12:12).

Everyone hopes for close relationships with friend and family, yet one big problem cast a shadow over them, which atheist French philosopher Luc Ferry captures well: “[Man] . . . knows that he will die and that his near ones, those he loves, will die.”  Certainly, the Buddhist way of non-detachment can keep us from being hurt by the loss of love ones, but Ferry would have none of it: “Not only am I unable to prevent myself from forming attachments, I have no wish to do so.”  I agree, but where I break with him is this:   While this atheist is unwilling to believe God, choosing instead a life that he calls “a love of wisdom” (a life of open and honest dialogues), I choose a life of boasting about a God whose greatest expression of love toward us is found in His Son Christ.  

Let us, therefore, stay vigilant so that we don’t allow our love for other things—whether it be wealth, knowledge, or even our loved ones, which will all ultimately disappoint us—to detach us from loving God, for “my heart is restless until it finds its rest in Thee” (Augustine).

Prayer:  Lord, what is life apart from knowing and being known by You?  What meaning of life can I have apart from knowing that You love me personally.  How unfathomable is it that You spared no expense in allowing Your Son to die in my stead so that I may have life.  Thank You.  Amen.   

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 18

Lunch Break Study

Read Proverb 30:8-9: “. . . give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’”; Prov. 23:4: “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.”

1 Cor. 8:1b, 3: This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. . .. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

Questions to Consider

1. What is another reason for which wealth can be desiring too much of a good thing (1 Tim. 6:9- 10)?

2. What is another reason for which knowledge can be desiring too much a good thing?

3. Should we stop trying to garner wealth and knowledge?  How do Solomon and Paul, respectively, admonish us on this matter? 

Notes

1. The Proverb writer warns that too much wealth can produce the type of arrogance that leads to mitigating the importance of God in our lives.  It always begins with the erosion of our dependence on God (money replaces him) that ultimately results in self-autonomy. 

2. The apostle Paul warns that too much knowledge can lead to being puffed up; that is, feeling and acting superior to those who have not accumulated as many degrees and attended as prestigious schools as they have.   No one wants to be around those people!  

3. The writer admonishes us to seek wisdom that can curb our desire for more.  Wisdom is to know whether our present faith and character is stable and mature enough to handle additional wealth and/or degrees.  It is better to postpone our pursuit until we are ready. Paul admonishes us to prize being known by God above all things (instead of being known by your pedigree). 

Evening Reflection

In the years past, Rich Mullins’ “Awesome God” was sung at many churches like an anthem to the Lord (https://goo.gl/F9QFUP). I invite you to sing along with this great declaration of our awe of God as a fitting way to end this day.  Worship Him!  Then, “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7).

November 2, Thursday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on November 2, 2017, is provided by Emerson Lin. Emerson, who serves in E. Asia as a missionary, is a graduate of University of California, San Diego (BS) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Love is spelled O-B-E-Y”

Genesis 17:23-27

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. 27 And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

 Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East where the trainers require absolute obedience from the horses. As a final test of their obedience, the trainers deprive the horses of water for a week; afterwards, the trainers release the horses so they can run toward the water. However, as they get close to the trough, the trainers blow their whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience stop in their tracks; in fact, they turn around and gallop to their trainer. Then they stand in front of the trainer, desperate for a drink of water. Once the trainers blow their whistles again, the horses return to the water to drink. 

In this passage, God calls Abraham to circumcise every male in his camp. As we learned in a previous devotion, circumcision was a sign of God’s faithfulness to the Abraham’s descendants. While circumcision is a painful process, we see that Abraham was not slow to respond to the Lord. The Scripture uses the phrase “On that very day” twice, to capture Abraham’s radical obedience to God. Through this act of quick obedience, Abraham displays his love for the Lord.

We live in a world where information is power. A person is deemed powerful and intelligent by the amount of information they know. In the same way, we may equate those who have great Bible knowledge as deeply loving the Lord. 

However, Scripture defines loving the Lord in a different way. It is not defined by how much a person knows, but by a person’s active obedience to the Word of God. The Bible often correlates loving the Lord with obeying His commandments. In John 14:15, Jesus says to His disciples, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” James 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Let’s become believers who quickly obey God’s commands instead of passively waiting. It is through our obedience that we love the Lord!

What are some areas of your life that you can better follow the Lord? What prevents you from actively obeying His commandments? Take some time to reflect on these questions.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for choosing me first before I chose You. As Scriptures equates love with obedience, I want to follow You whole-heartedly. If there is any area of my life that lacks obedience, please help me to change. I want to love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 1
Blessed is the onewho does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.4 Not so the wicked!They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is required of living the blessed life? (v.1)
  2. What imagery does the author use to describe a person who meditates on the Word of God? (v.3)
  3. What imagery does the author use to describe wicked men? (v.4)

Notes

  1. Living a blessed life requires a person to avoid walking in sin as well as delighting in God’s word.
  2. The author uses an imagery of a tree planted by a stream of water. To make this imagery more powerful, imagine a single, lush tree in the middle of a barren desert. In order to thrive, that tree must be connected to a water source.  That is what it’s like to be connected to the Word of God. 
  3. Wicked men are described as chaff that are blown in the wind. In ancient times, farmers would separate chaff and seed by tossing both in the air. Because chaff is light, it is easily blown away by the wind. 

Evening Reflection

“Our obedience is God’s pleasure when it proves that God is our treasure. This is good news, because it means very simply that the command to obey is the command to be happy in God. The commandments of God are only as hard to obey as the promises of God are hard to believe. The Word of God is only as hard to obey as the beauty of God is hard to cherish.” – John Piper

November 1, Wednesday 

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, written by Pastor Andrew Kim, was originally posted on June 14, 2016.  Andrew is presently pastoring Alive Church in Montreal.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Me Decade” 

Revelation 5:11-14

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

The 60’s were marked by a profound social consciousness. People genuinely cared for the welfare of society and participated in movements of justice. It was the decade of the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s rights, and protests against the Vietnam War. However, there was a dramatic shift in culture in the 70’s. It was no longer focused on culture-wide issues but rather on the self. Historians have dubbed the 70’s the “ME Decade.” It was the era of personal development and self-discovery. As the “individual” began to assert itself, it gave rise to a radical personal autonomy where the “self” became king. Life began to be about self-expression, about being able to choose one’s own destiny. And this trend has continued and we all feel its effects even today. All of us desire to determine the course of our lives—we demand freedom from all authority outside of ourselves. However, this has not turned out well as people are emptier than ever before. Many have discovered that reigning over their own lives has not led to more happiness but rather a deep sense of restlessness and confusion. 

In our passage for today, we are given a glimpse of the throne room of heaven. John looks around and sees a myriad of people proclaiming the worthiness of the Lamb. A multitude of creatures are giving due praise and honor “to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” The elders fall down and worship. It is truly a remarkable vision. And this vision functions as a reminder to the recipients of the letter about who is the true King of the universe. It is not the emperor of Rome. It is the one who sits in the throne room of heaven who ultimately deserves our worship and surrender. In the same way, it is a reminder to us that the one who truly deserves to reign over our lives is God Himself. Many of us attempt to dethrone God in our hearts, trying to make sense of our lives on our own terms. We want to be king. However, history has proven that this is a dead end. We must relinquish our grip on our hearts and allow God to fully reign over us. As verse 13 proclaims, He is the king who is full of power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessing!  For these reasons, we can trust that He will lead us to places of true happiness and joy. Let us resolve to surrender our rights before the true King of the universe and wholeheartedly follow Him! 

Prayer: Father, I often want to take control of my life. Help me to trust in Your ways and in Your leading and to surrender all that I am to You. Be King over my life! Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 16

Lunch Break Study 

Read Mark 1:14-15: Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Questions to Consider 

  1. What is the kingdom of God? 
  2. How are we to respond to the kingdom of God? 
  3. What areas of your life do you need to surrender and allow God to reign? 

Notes 

  1. The phrase “kingdom of God” literally means: the reigning activity of God. It is the eternal and sovereign rule of God in all of the universe. It is not speaking to an actual geographical kingdom but that God’s ruling power has come in a special way through Jesus. 
  2. Jesus calls us to repent (to relinquish our own reign over our lives) and to believe in the gospel. 
  3. Personal response. 

Evening Reflection 

It is indeed difficult to give up control of our lives. It is scary in many ways. One key factor when it comes to surrendering our lives to God is to experience His goodness towards us. As we experience more of His goodness, the more we trust Him with our lives. And we find the ultimate proof of His love and goodness: His death. Tonight, take time to reflect on how Jesus died for you so that you can have life, and that He is trustworthy because He is willing to give up His everything for you! 

October 31, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional Quiet Time, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on February 14, 2017. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

Whose Side Are You On?

1 Corinthians 3:5-8 

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task.6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.

Among my group of friends in middle school, we had some real battle lines drawn for two pop stars we admired. Not only would we endlessly proclaim how talented and wonderful our guy was, but we would try to take down the enemy, giving ourselves reasons to talk the rival singer down. We made our allegiance so intense that it felt sacrilegious to think anything positive about the other singer. To this day, when I find myself bobbing my head to a throwback song by him, I still feel a little strange. 

Isn’t it a human tendency to rally around specific groups of individuals? We have our favorite artists, writers, entertainers, shows – and when we find that someone has an opposite preference, we are inclined to definitely prove our choice to be better. But within the Christian context, I have to admit that I am still guilty of the same tendencies. Under this guise of a holy pursuit, I still try to elevate my choice of preferred speaker, worship artist, writer, etc. over others’. More often than not, our desire to justify our choices only breeds disunity and dampens our ability to encourage others in spiritual growth. 

Paul and Apollos were effective workers, and both men had the same vision to build the kingdom of God. However, their ministries, attracting different people, were divided because their “followers” could not reconcile their preferences. The same teaching is for us today. Whenever we settle our eyes on the “face” or the “leader” of a group, we take our eyes off the One who created and sustains it. All the people we know and hear of are indeed instruments for His kingdom, but they are the wrong ones to rally around. 

Let’s re-fix our eyes on God once again. The variety of people who glorify God should be celebrated, not scorned. Our God is worthy to be praised with such variation of talent, temperament, and style. When we admire or look at leaders, let’s look past them to see God moving and growing. And when we serve, let us strive to make sure that others’ eyes are turned away from us and onto Him. 

Prayer: Father, forgive me for forgetting who gets all the glory and honor. Remind me that the focus is You, not the person who is trying to build Your kingdom. In me, Lord, let my life be a means of clarifying who You are to others, not a means of obscuring You. May others ultimately not remember me but be pointed towards You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 15

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 10:17-20: The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Questions to Consider

  1. Jesus gave the seventy-two their mission and had told them of the power they would have already. When they return marveling, why does He reiterate again what their power is? 
  2. Why does Jesus tell them that they should re-orient their excitement here? Let’s take some time to reflect on what, of our spiritual lives, we marvel over.

Notes

  1. Jesus is also suggesting here that they should not be so surprised. The authority that He has given them is full of power.
  2. Jesus is suggesting here that, while seeing great and mighty works of God is interesting, what should be most fascinating for these disciples is their reconciliation to God. The work that Jesus will do to reconcile men to God is worth the greatest celebration of all. It is the most marvelous thing we will encounter.

Evening Reflection

Isn’t it so easy to settle our eyes and ears on the men and women we see rather than God Himself? Let’s take some time to practice looking for God rather than men and women. As we practice this habit, we will be able to truly affirm what God is doing in all of His servants.

October 30, Monday

REPOSTToday’s AMI Devotional QT, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on October 24, 217.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“What Will You Give Me?”

Genesis 15:7-8

And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

Not too long ago, I thought we—as a family— would do something fun and healthy by taking a hike at a local park. I had visions of having so much fun climbing up to the peak, enjoying the view, talking and spending time as a family, while getting some much-needed exercise. And then, we started our climb—and everything was just about downhill from there. The weather was hotter than I had anticipated, and we were quickly running out of water. The kids were complaining no more than fifteen minutes into our ascent. It was clear to me that we were not going to make it to our destination—we didn’t even make it to the half way mark. 

Maybe this is why I love what Abram is going through; this is where I often find myself living. I would say this is us! I mean, God has given us every assurance, but this is where we live—between the promise and the fulfillment, between the great promises of God and our actual lives. 

Now there might be a few of us who say, “I never question God. In all my trials and difficulties, my faith is rock solid.” Sure, I can believe that. There are people out there with a gift of faith and have faith in great measures, but that is not Abram and Sarai. Nor is it most of us. 

We are learning from Abram’s story that faith is not a stoic acceptance of the sovereignty of God—it can be, but not always. And sometimes, it’s not polite.  Faith can often sound like Abram, who says, “What will you give me? How can I know?” It’s comforting to me because it shows that real faith is faith that is lived; and faith that is lived is faith that dares to treat God as if God is involved in the details of our lives. 

For most of us, when we refuse to contend with God, it’s not out of piety but out of fear. It’s out of a deeper doubt which we don’t want to name—that should we need God that much, God might not come through, so we refuse to contend with God. But faith is about contending, arguing, asking, pleading, “Oh Lord, how am I to know?” Do you know this about your faith? We are to go to God and wrestle with Him, and that is why Jesus calls His people “Israel”—which means “the one who has wrestled with God.”  And that is literally what it means to be God’s people.

Prayer: God, help me to see the many ways You are faithful to me today. In every moment of fear, help me to be on my knees, so that I can surrender all of my fears and worries to You. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 14

Lunch Break Study

Read Genesis 32:22-32: The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

Questions to Consider

1. Who is the man that wrestled with Jacob until the break of dawn? 

2. What was the result of Jacob wrestling with the man all night? 

3. What do you feel like you have to wrestle with today? Are you prepared for Him to bless you in ways that might surprise you, that might even have you “limping” for your blessing?   

Notes

1. The man turns out to be God Himself.  

2. Jacob was blessed, he met God “face to face,” and there was a mark (limp) left by the encounter. 

3. Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

“Biblically, waiting is not just something we have to do until we get what we want. Waiting is part of the process of becoming what God wants us to be.” – John Ortberg

October 29, Sunday

REPOSTToday’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on November 13, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Benefit of Being Forgiven”

Hebrews 8:12-13

 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.” 13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

A little boy was visiting his grandparents and given his first slingshot. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. As he came back to Grandma’s back yard, he spied her pet duck. On an impulse, he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The boy panicked. Desperately he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day, Grandma said, “Sally, let’s wash the dishes.” But Sally said, “Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you, Johnny?” And she whispered to him, “Remember the duck!” So Johnny did the dishes. 

Later, when Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, Grandma said, “I’m sorry, but I need Sally to help make supper.” Sally smiled and said, “That’s all taken care of. Johnny wants to do it.” Again she whispered, “Remember the duck.” Johnny stayed while Sally went fishing. After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally’s, finally he couldn’t stand it. He confessed to Grandma that he’d killed the duck. “I know, Johnny,” she said, giving him a hug. “I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you. I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave of you.” (Pastor Steven Cole)

Our passage for today reminds us that God (because of Jesus) chooses not to remember our sins, but a more important question is, do we? Many of us allow the Enemy and our own hearts to hold us hostage to the wrongs we’ve done. We hear that voice inside, reminding us of the things we’ve done and making it hard for us to believe change is possible. But 1 John 1:9 promises us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Furthermore, 2 Corinthians 7:21 says, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” Our sins should bring us great sorrow, but not the kind that holds us hostage to guilt, shame, and regret. Instead it should produce a sorrow that leads us running to the throne of God, to receive forgiveness and salvation that Jesus made readily available for us. Where there is lingering regret, we have to wonder if we’ve yet turned to God, confessed our sins and received in faith (in what Jesus has done for us) His forgiveness and the power to live anew. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as I worship You on this Lord’s Day, help me to do so with full persuasion that I am forgiven and accepted by You. I confess to You that I have sinned by [confess your sins to the Lord]. Please forgive me. Help me to live now in freedom from condemnation and the in newness of life. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 13

October 28, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on October 28, 2016, is provided by Pastor Yohan Lee.  He is a friend of AMI who in the past has served as a staff at several AMI churches.  He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Cairn University (MA).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Past Faithfulness’s Effect on Future Faith”

Hebrews 11:13-16

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

On Thursday, I shared how we implemented chores and rewards for my seven-year-old, Simon.  From that system, Saturday became his payday.  In his first week of work, he made a whopping $3.  Small oversight on my part, I only had $2 in my wallet.  So, I gave my son the two bucks and told him that I’ll give him the rest later.  I figured no big deal, right?  Not so fast… for some reason, my son did not believe that I would’ve made good on my IOU.  (I don’t know why Simon doesn’t trust me; perhaps it’s because whenever my family gives him money, Dad puts it away for “safekeeping”.)  Anyway, the next day Simon asked me for his dollar, but of course I didn’t have it, because I wasn’t about to go to the bank for one dollar.  This went on for a few days until I found a convenient time to come up with a buck—I think it was the following Wednesday.  

Here’s the funny thing: Instead of demolishing his faith in me, the fact that I eventually paid built up his trust in me.  Because my son knows that I will eventually pay up, he is fine with letting things slide here and there.  Now when I tell him I’ll pay him later, he’s good, knowing that later will eventually come.  

Similarly, when the writer of Hebrews says, “These all [faithful patriarchs] died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar…”, he means that they did not have to see every promise of God fulfilled with their own eyes to believe in God’s future faithfulness because they had seen God “pay up” on past promises numerous times.  The principle we need to learn is that this: Past faithfulness fuels future faith.  One of the examples the writer of Hebrews used was that of Abraham and Sarah.  Technically, neither of them lived long enough to see their descendants grow to be as “many as the stars,” but they did see the miraculous birth of Isaac, new lands (in part), and other miraculous events.  For them, since God had proven to be faithful, they could count on His future faithfulness even after their deaths.   

What are the things you are waiting for?  Do you have faith in God’s future promises because you have seen his faithfulness in the past?  If you are having problems remembering God’s faithfulness, then I encourage you to keep a journal.  You will see that God is faithful; seeing this will encourage your faith in Him tomorrow. 

Prayer: Faithful Father, thank You that You keep your promises.  Remind me of your past goodness toward me; let that fuel my faith in You for the future.  You are the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today:  Revelation 11-12

October 27, Friday

REPOST Today’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on October 20, 2017, is provided by Pastor Shan Gian who leads Remnant Westside Church in Manhattan.  Shan is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Impossible Odds”

Genesis 14:11-16

So the enemy took all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. 12 They also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. 13 Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot with his possessions, and the women and the people.

I have always enjoyed movies where the good guys are few in number and facing impossible odds, with large and intimidating forces coming to destroy them.  It’s inspiring to see how brave, resourceful, and cunning the underdogs are, as they repel their foes and beat the odds.  I’m not fully sure why I like these kinds of stories so much, but maybe there’s something about them that makes me wonder if I would have what it takes to overcome in the face of overwhelming odds. 

In Genesis 14, it’s easy to overlook the magnitude of what Abram does.  Abram’s nephew Lot had been captured by an alliance of four kings and their armies from the east.  This alliance of kings had handily defeated the armies of five kings of the Jordan Valley, and we can assume they had a massive and menacing force. What did Abram have?  He had 318 men to fight.  Just like one of those movies with a small group of good guys taking on impossible odds, Abram is unimaginably victorious.  Not only does he defeat his enemies, but verse 14 tells us that he led his army and pursued the enemy “as far as Dan,” which would have likely been over 200 miles away from Abram’s home.  His enemies were running for their lives—and all of this because of just 318 men.  How was Abram able to not just overcome such impossible odds but decisively conquer his enemies?  Because Abram knew the promises of the God that was with him.

God had made a covenant with Abram that He would be with him and make him a great nation. And while at this point in Genesis, this promise had yet to be fully fulfilled, Abram knew the God who was with him, he knew what the outcome of his life would be, and he did not fear the seemingly impossible odds before him. In our world, we seem to have impossible situations:  divisions, war, scandals, immorality, poverty, racism, etc.  And in our own lives, we face overwhelming circumstances: trials, sicknesses, depression, difficult relationships, sin and brokenness.  But in the face of such difficulties, like Abram, we can remember the promises of the God who is with us and has promised to be with us to the very end of the age.  Whatever circumstances we face, we know what the outcome will be, and that gives us strength and courage to face impossible odds. 

Prayer: Jesus, I thank You for the promise of Your presence with us always. I pray that in impossible situations, I will understand more and more that victory is assured in You.  I will trust in You.  Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today:  Revelation 10

Lunch Bible Study

Read Romans 8:31-37: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does it mean to be “more than conquerors”?
  2. How do we know that victory is assured?    
  3. How does understanding the victory we have in Jesus affect your life today?

Notes

  1. Paul specifically tells us that we are more than conquerors over tribulation, distress, persecution, etc., because of Jesus who died for us and rose from the dead. Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, we can overcome and conquer any and every obstacle that we face in life.  
  2. We know that victory is assured because God so freely gave up His own Son for us; and we know that He will also graciously give us all things that we need. God is the only one who can condemn or judge us, and yet it is God Himself who justifies us through Jesus, so our victory is assured.
  3. Personal reflection question.

Evening Reflection

Abram overcame impossible odds in Genesis 14 with great victory. What “impossible odds” are you facing today?  Are you feeling defeated in any area of your life?  Close out this day remembering the presence of God and His promise of victory.

October 26, Thursday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on August 31, 2017, is provided by Hee Jung Lee. Hee Jung, a graduate of Biblical Theological Seminary, serves at Catalyst Agape Church (New Jersey) along with her husband Pastor Sam Lee. They have four beautiful daughters. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Anchored in Hope”

Hebrews 6:19-20

 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm & secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf….

I was about 7 years old when our family immigrated to the US. In order to assimilate us to the new life and help us adapt quicker, my father followed all the American traditions. We celebrated all the holidays in the same ways the Americans did. For example, every Christmas Eve, he would put a present above our heads while we were sleeping so that when we’d wake up in the morning, we would believe that Santa had come. As a young child, this was an extraordinary thing to look forward to. The anticipation of what Santa would bring was so great that it was hard to even fall asleep. I’d stay up wondering if I had been naughty or nice. 

This anticipation, this HOPE, was a powerful force. For this reason, we all need hope. Hope defines what we’re living for; it is full of anticipation, expectation, making the heart feel alive and thrive. However, life brings storms at times that can rob us of this hope. Difficult times and hardships do come. It can be for an hour, a day, months, or for years. So it is wise to address what is robbing our hope. During such times, there are two key things you can do to help you anchor your soul in the Lord: First, you can allow yourself to process any pain or grieving. Grief can happen at many levels. It can be as traumatic as losing a loved one or as seemingly “common” as losing trust. Mourning this loss is a vital step to healing and moving forward. 

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what is going on inside of you so He can bring it out into the light. Nothing is considered unimportant before God. 

Second, recollect and rejoice in the Lord. Jesus can be found in the process of everything, even in the darkest times and places. Hence, the Lord says, “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4). Rejoicing gives us strength. There is nothing better than celebrating the Heavenly Father so that He can fortify you in His love. By doing these things, you will be reaffirmed that no matter what, Jesus will always keep you firmly anchored in His hope.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that because of Jesus, my soul is firmly anchored in Your hope. Please remind me during difficult times to keep my eyes on You and rejoice in You so that I may have the strength to overcome anything that would try to rob me of my joy and hope. In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 15:13: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Questions to Consider

1. What are some things that you hope for?

2. Is there anything that you may need to grieve over which you may have buried deep inside?

3. What is one difficulty or trial in your life that you can rejoice in the Lord for today?

Notes

1. God created all of us so that we need to hope; in fact, it is healthy to hope. Yet hopelessness permeates our society today. Satan—the epitome of hopelessness—is a thief, and his objective is to steal from us the very blessings that are before us and lie within us.

2. Grieving can be over a loss of something. It can be over losing a loved one, a sense of security, youth, freedom, ability, trust, visions or dreams, etc.

3. Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” In other words, we always have a reason to celebrate in hope, be patient when hard times come, and we should keep praying. When we do this, God will be able to take our mourning and turn it into gladness.

Evening Reflection

This morning we began by being reminded that we can take steps to remain in the hope that Jesus has anchored us in. In light of this, how did you fare in walking in that hope today?