October 25, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on September 13, 2017, is provided by Pastor Jason Sato who, along with his wife Jessica and three young children, serves in Japan as an AMI missionary.  Jason is a graduate of UC San Diego (BS) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Naked and Ashamed”

Genesis 3:8-13 (ESV)

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. [9] But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” [13] Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

 At the beginning, Adam and Eve enjoyed God’s presence.  Now, after they have sinned, they try to hide themselves from God.  Adam is asked a simple yes or no question:  “Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”  In his response, Adam increases his isolation, blaming his wife who he failed to protect and his God who he failed to honor.  Likewise, the woman blames the serpent—at least her response actually answers the question God poses to her.

So why do they try to hide from an omnipresent God?  Why do they try to mislead an omniscient God?  In verse 10, Adam explains that he is afraid.  Because of sin, the man and the woman are now naked and ashamed.  They cannot bear to be this way, so they hide behind their fig leaves and their excuses.

We, too, cannot bear our shame.  We try to be good parents, students, employees, and Christians.  But so often our efforts simply expose the gap between our public and private personas.  We blame our sin on traffic, the weather, other people, or even God, frightened of what it would mean if we were personally responsible for all of our actions, words, and thoughts. Yet these methods are most successful at deceiving ourselves, less successful at deceiving others, and absolutely unsuccessful at deceiving God.  But thankfully, God does not need to be deceived.  

God already has an objective and complete knowledge of our sin and nakedness; and rather than send Adam and Eve away in their nakedness, He clothes them in the skins of animals sacrificed for them (Genesis 3:1).

For us, the Father offers us better than animal skins.  He offers up the life of His Son, that Jesus might take our sin and we might take Jesus’ righteousness. Apart from Jesus, we all remain naked and ashamed before God, but the Lord Jesus Christ offers to clothe us in His righteousness, to bear our shame, and to bring us back home into His presence.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming, not for the righteous, but for sinners.  Neither my excuses nor my spotty righteousness can stand before You.  I am naked and ashamed.  Clothe me by Your Son, my Righteousness. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 8

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 32:1-5 (ESV): Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. [2] Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. [3] For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. [4] For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah [5] I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Question to Consider

  1. What happened to the psalmist when he kept his sins hidden?
  2. What is the result of not trying to cover our own sins ourselves?
  3. Who is blessed?

Notes

  1. His bones wasted away and God’s hand was heavy upon him.
  2. When we do not cover our own sins and instead confess them to the Lord, we receive forgiveness.
  3. The one who is forgiven and whose sin the Lord does not count against her.  In other words, those found to be in Jesus Christ!

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day.  When were you tempted to blame others or to reject responsibility for your sin?  Take a moment to own all of your words, thoughts, and actions that dishonored God and ask Him for forgiveness.  Receive His grace and enjoy His presence.

October 24, Tuesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on April 18, 2017.  He is a graduate of University of Pennsylvania (B.S.) and Columbia International University where he studied Islam (M.A.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Overcoming Hindrances to Prayer as God’s Children”

Ephesians 1:3-8

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us.

 In yesterday’s devotional, we talked briefly about George Muller, a great hero of the faith. Through fervent prayer and faith in God and His provision, Muller was able to care for over 10,000 orphans during his lifetime. When describing what had to happen to become effective in prayer, Mueller mentioned two things: Firstly, Muller had to die to what he thought about himself, as he wrote, “You really can’t live for God’s glory…if you are thinking about what you think about yourself.” Secondly, Mueller mentioned that he had to die to what others thought about him.

In today’s digitized world, it is easy to manage our image through social media, blogs and other platforms. What we think of ourselves and what others think of us can lead us to act as spiritual orphans and cloud the most important opinion: what God thinks of us. Thankfully, prayer is the tool that is readily available to recalibrate our thoughts. Through prayer, we are reminded that we are not orphans but sons and daughters of the King (Eph. 1:5); we are reminded that we have every spiritual blessing in Christ (Eph. 1:3) and are chosen to be holy and blameless in His sight (Eph. 1:4); and that we are given redemption and forgiveness through God’s lavish grace (Eph. 1:8).

Because we are human, there will be times when we distinctly feel God’s presence in an undeniable way, but there will also be times when He feels incredibly distant. In those times, prayer not only reminds us of the truth of Scripture but also helps us demolish the barriers that hinder our fellowship with God. Perhaps there are certain sins that are leading to our estrangement from God and need to be confessed. Perhaps there are certain emotions such as resentment, anxiety, fear or bitterness that prevent us from seeing God’s grace.

Oftentimes, we come to our devotional time routinely to check off one of many tasks for the day. However, prayer is a great time not to achieve but to receive—to receive the truths that God has for us. Let’s do so today. 

Prayer: Father, thank You that You love me and that I can come to Your throne of grace with confidence, receiving mercy and grace in my time of need (Heb. 4:16). I confess that I often forget what You think of me. I confess that I look to my opinion and others’ opinion of me instead of Your opinion. Bring me back to You today. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Revelation 7

Lunch Break Study 

Read Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Questions to Consider

1. Why do you think God commands us not to be anxious?

2. Why do you think God’s remedy for anxiety is prayer?

3. What are you anxious about today? What can you surrender to Him in prayer?  Give it a careful thought.

Notes

1. Anxiety reveals self-centeredness. Through anxiety, we declare our lack of faith in God’s ability to provide. 

2. Through fellowship with God in prayer, He helps us to discern whether our desires and ambitions are ours or His. Through prayer, God reveals to us His heart and will. Through prayer, we can be transformed so that our hearts desire His will, bringing us perfect peace (Phil. 4:7). 

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

What truths about yourself did God remind you of today? How did He remind you of His love and His grace for you? Journal it so that it may serve as one of your spiritual stones (Jos. 4:1-9). 

October 23, Monday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on October 23, 2017.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Fear Not”

Genesis 15:1-6

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 

Recently, someone asked me, “Do you like the Gospels or Paul’s epistles more?” Of course, being a pastor, my answer was, “I like them both!” But if I had to choose between the two, although I like the precision of Paul’s propositions, I do love the power of stories in the Gospels. Stories have a way of capturing our imagination, our intuitive way of looking at the world; and that’s what Christianity does for us—it reconfigures our worldview.  To live as a Christian means to have transformed perception, until more and more of the story of the Gospel becomes our own. 

That’s why I love the book of Genesis. It’s a book of stories. Today, we see Abram, not yet Abraham; he’s not yet the man God wants him to be, but he is becoming one. And as the scene opens, Abram is frustrated; he left his home to follow God because of the promise of becoming a great nation with many sons and daughters (Genesis 12). Abraham believed and heeded God’s call. Now years have passed, and nothing has happened. 

That brings us to Genesis 15. Our chapter opens with the words, “Fear not”—which, by the way, is one of the most frequent commands in the Bible, suggesting to us that God knows we are prone to be filled with fear. So He comes to Abram in peace: “Fear not, Abram.” It’s very personal, God calls him by name. “I am your shield, your very great reward.” 

God has personally assured him not to fear, yet Abram doesn’t sit quietly; he dares to question God: “What would you give me?” Who talks like this? A child. That’s exactly right. Only a child dares to be so bold. And there is also impatience mingled with boldness that boils into frustration which we see in verse 3: “Behold, you have given me no offspring.” In effect, Abram is saying to God, “You haven’t done what you promised. I’m still childless; where’s this great reward you speak of?” 

Now this isn’t what we normally think of when we think of faith. We think of faith as a quiet, passive acceptance. But this is not the faith of Abram. Abram’s faith is more like a hard-fought conviction forged in conversation with God. This is why God doesn’t blast him with, “How dare you question me?” Instead, God calls him outside and tells Abram, “Look towards the heavens and number the stars if you are able, so shall your offspring be.” 

I love how God just leads him outside to show him what has always been there— it was there the night before and it’ll be there the next night; and maybe that’s the point, they’ll always be there.  It’s as if God was saying, “I am the faithful One. I will deliver on my promise.” Do you have a promise of God that you can claim today? If not, pray and ask God for His blessing over you. If you have one but feel discouraged that it has not come to pass, renew your trust in the faithfulness of God. Don’t place your faith in your own faith, but recognize your faith as the eyes through which you view the character and sufficiency of God Himself. 

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 6

Lunch Break Study 

Read Hebrews 6:13-20: For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Questions to Consider 

1. What makes the promises of God a guarantee that it will come to pass? 

2. How are the promises of God anchored into our souls?   

3. How can you drive the promises of God deeper into your soul today?      

Notes

1. Because He swears His promise to Himself, and He is unable to lie.  

2. By the work of Jesus behind the “veil,” the cross.     

3. Personal reflection.

Evening Reflection

“It matters little what form of prayer we adopt or how many words we use. What matters is the faith which lays hold on God, knowing that He knows our needs before we even ask Him. That is what gives Christian prayer its boundless confidence and its joyous certainty.”  – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

October 22, Sunday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Christine Li, was first posted on October 9, 2016. Christine, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania, serves as a deaconess at Remnant Church in Manhattan, New York.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“When I Went Broke in College”

Luke 15:14-17

“After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!’”

I knew college was supposed to be challenging, but one trouble I did not anticipate was that I would go broke one semester. It was my own foolishness– I had relinquished a work-study job, but I kept spending money. I knew this was a bad idea, yet I hoped I could scrape by and never tell my parents. Finally, one day when I had less than $20 left for weeks of school, I reached a crisis. 

Completely distraught, I called home and admitted what situation I was in. While my parents made it clear that they found this completely irresponsible, what they were more concerned about was that I had felt the need to hide from them. “You shouldn’t have pretended everything was fine. You should have come to us sooner,” they rebuked me.

A couple things prevented me from openly going to my parents. I feared the humiliation of being known as irresponsible. I feared they would be angry, and I was too prideful to admit that I needed help. So, I tried to handle the difficulty by myself until I reached a point of desperation. Looking back, if I had had the sense to admit my troubles sooner, I could have received help and avoided all the angst. 

Just like the prodigal son, don’t we also avoid going to God the Father at the first sign of trouble? Though the prodigal lacked no shame in asking for his inheritance, he kept himself from returning when he was in need, struggling on his own until he was completely stuck. We might feel ashamed for what we did, fearful that He will be angry, or stubbornly hope that we can handle it on our own. But our delay only puts us in a worse-off condition than if we turned home sooner. 

We all know the happy ending of this parable: the Father was quick to forgive and restore the son. Even if others have responded to our failings in negative ways, we can be encouraged that this will not be the Father’s response. He will eagerly respond to us with help, healing, and restoration. So, let’s not keep ourselves from Him. We do not have to needlessly struggle on our own when He is ready to restore us. 

Prayer: Father, You are so gracious and gentle! But I always seem to forget, and that is why I do not go to You sooner. Help me to remember Your loving-kindness and that You are slow to anger and quick to forgive. Teach me to come to You eagerly and receive Your grace that heals and restores me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 5

October 21, Saturday

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on October 22, 2016, is provided by Pastor David Kwon who leads Journey Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina.  David is a graduate of Drexel University (B.S.) and Columbia International University (M.Div.).

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“The Greatness of Christ”

Hebrews 2:5-9

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

After the author of Hebrews gives us a warning about drifting away from the gospel, he returns to the greatness of Christ Himself. This shift is made so that the work and role of Christ can be prominently emphasized throughout the rest of the book of Hebrews.  In these verses, it tells us how this rule is presently manifested in the world. We are told that nothing has been left outside of Christ’s control (2:8), and all of creation is now subject to the rule of Christ.

The author also quotes from Psalm 8, which celebrates God’s creation, including man.  In Psalm 8:3, the psalmist contemplates the mighty works of God by saying, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place…”  And as he thinks about the stars, planets and galaxies, and the vastness of the universe, no wonder he exclaims, “What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?”What the writer of Hebrews (and the psalmist) is saying is that man has a position of honor (v.7), meaning that we are the pinnacle of creation and also a position of authority (v. 8) as man was given rule over the earth.  

What does this mean for us? A few thoughts:

1. We have a King who knows us.  We are reminded that God not only intentionally created the universe, but we are also His beloved creation.  God knows our thoughts, wants and needs – the King of the Universe knows us and calls us by name! Rejoice, because we have a heavenly Father who intimately knows us in this way!  

2. We have a King we can trust. Jesus is a King who never fails us because of His great love for us. The Cross is proof that His love is unconditional; therefore, we can trust him with our lives.  

I know that most of us know these truths in our heads, but do we live that way in everyday lives?  Do you really trust Christ in every area of your life?  Does the perfect love of God give you the ultimate security in your life rather than things like money, family, appearances and reputation?   Spend time praying that these promises would be lived out in our lives today.

Prayer:  Jesus, thank You for being our King.  Thank You that You are the God of creation and the One who knows us fully and intimately. Help us to trust You with all of our hearts today. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 3-4 

October 20, Friday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provide by Pastor Peter Yoon of Kairos Christian Church in San Diego, was first posted on October 13, 2017.  Peter is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“God Uses Ordinary People in Extraordinary Ways”

Genesis 12:10-13

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

We understand that faith plays a critical role in our Christian life. Faith is critical for our salvation. Faith moves mountains. Faith heals people. In fact, without faith, we know it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). But if we are honest, we often struggle with doubts. Many in the church wonder if they are genuinely saved. Mountains still remain while healings are sparse. It’s easy to scrutinize ourselves and have a low view of our own faith. 

As a kid growing up in the church, I remember singing, “Father Abraham Had Many Sons.” Do you remember that song? (You can google it if you want to hear it.) It was a silly song with even sillier calisthenics, but I remember one time asking my Sunday School teacher, “Who the heck is Father Abraham?” Usually, we are told that he was a great man of great faith. He was called by God to leave his family, and he did. He was asked by God to sacrifice his son, and he almost did. He would receive a promise that his descendants would outnumber the stars in the sky. But they never told you that he lied about his wife…TWICE. 

Here, we read the first time where Abraham lies to Pharaoh about his wife because he is afraid (the second time is found in Genesis 20). Both stories reveal a faithless man filled with self-preserving fears. I’m sure that Sarah didn’t appreciate being called Abraham’s sister, just so her husband can save his own hide. But that was who Abraham was. Now go ahead a google “father of faith” on your phone or laptop, and guess who comes up. You probably already guessed it, but it’s no one other than Abraham himself. NT passages such as Romans 4:16 (father to us all) and Hebrews 11:8-9 (by faith he made his home in the Promised Land) lead us to Abraham’s moniker, the “father of faith.”

That’s what God does. He takes people, such as Abraham, filled with doubts and fears, and simply asks us to follow Him. He already knows that we are filled with fears and reservations. I’m sure it wasn’t a surprise to God that Abraham used his wife. Yet, God simply asked Abraham to follow Him. Generations later, despite these humiliating stories, Abraham would be called the “father of faith.” When we follow Him and His ways, our fears make room for faith. One of many subplots of the Bible story is that God takes ordinary people and uses them for accomplishing His extraordinary purposes. He’s been doing that for thousands of years, and He’s still doing that today. How about allowing God to write that story in your own life? 

Prayer: Lord, I admit that I’m far from having great faith. Help me in overcoming my own unbelief. Continue to work in and through me for accomplishing Your Kingdom purposes here on earth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Revelation 2

Lunch Break Study  

Read Mark 9:17-29 (NIV): A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”

Questions to Consider

  1. How does Jesus amaze you in this story? 
  2. As you read through the father’s plea, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief,” how does that encourage you in your own place of faith and doubts?  
  3. Jesus answers the disciples, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” Do you see a correlation between faith and prayer? 

Notes

  1. Consider the severity of the boy’s condition, his duration, and the lack of faith by those around him. Yet, Jesus’ authority and power brings light into darkness. Is there anything that Jesus cannot do?
  2. There is such sincerity in the father’s plea to Jesus. He is neither presumptuous about his faith nor deeply insecure.  
  3. Prayer by definition is dependence on God. 

Evening Reflection

Spend a little extra time tonight in prayer, cultivating a greater dependence on the Lord. 

October 19, Thursday

REPOSTToday’s AMI Devotional QT, first posted on October 19, 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

“Wow!”

Genesis 13:14-18

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

At the beginning of the movie The Lion King, Mufasa brings his son Simba to the top of a mountain at sunrise, and tells him that one day he will be king of all of the land that the light touches—it’s a majestic scene. Simba’s response is simply, “Wow,” for he is in awe of how great this promise is. The scene in Genesis 13 is uncannily similar to The Lion King, as God shows Abram (later Abraham) how great His promise is to him.  Abram looks up at the land, and God says that “all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.” Here was Abraham—just one man. And though he was already advanced in age and had yet to even have a son, God, the Creator and ruler of the world, comes to him promising him that he and his many offspring would rule over all of this land.  We’re not told what Abram’s immediate response was, but I can just imagine that as he stood there, looking in all directions, seeing how vast and great God’s promise was, that he just said, “Wow.”

There is a sense of awe when we realize that we are part of something so much greater and bigger than ourselves.  Many of us might wonder, though, “When will I ever be involved with something that compares to the greatness of God’s promise to Abraham?”  The truth is, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you already are! We might not be kings of Pride Rock or owning the land of Canaan, but we are the body of Christ, the church; and Ephesians 1:23 tell us that we as the body are the “fullness” of Christ.  As believers, we are called to make Christ “full” to the world, to be the means through which the world hears the good news and knows of the love of Jesus.  As the royal priesthood of Jesus, we are the ones whom God will use to proclaim His kingdom to the world.  And one day, when we’re in heaven, we’ll look up and see a great multitude of every nation, tribe and tongue, and we’ll altogether worship before the throne of God!  

This is what God promises us and if we realize this, I think our response should be, “Wow.” 

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for inviting me to be a part of Your kingdom and a part of your body. I thank You that I can live for something greater than myself. Help me to be in awe of You and Your promises to me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today:  Revelation 1

Lunch Bible Study

Read 2 Corinthians 9:12-14: For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

Questions to Consider

  1. What is the result of the ministry that Paul talks about in this passage?
  2. What then can be the result of the ministry that we do?  
  3. How can you be living in such a way that others will give thanks to God and glorify Him?

Notes

  1. This ministry resulted in the needs of the saints being met, but more than that it resulted in “many thanksgivings to God” and God himself being glorified.   
  2. It’s, of course, the same—meaning, if we, in the name of Jesus, serve and supply the needs of others, our ministry can glorify God and lead to people giving thanks to God.  In this passage, Paul is talking specifically about giving financially, but for us, this can be any act of service that we do for the sake of the gospel.
  3. Personal reflection—but it can be anything that we do that is not about ourselves but for the kingdom of God.

Evening Reflection

Jesus invites every single one of us to be a part of His kingdom, as well as  part of His royal priesthood, proclaiming His kingdom to the world. We may feel like we’re insignificant in the big scheme of things, but each one of us has a role to play as members of His body. Consider what purpose(s) Jesus has for you in His kingdom.

October 18, Wednesday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on February 8, 2017.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thought for Today

“Conflict Resolution” 

1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. 16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.

Here is how you can turn a disagreement into a feud:

1. Be sure to develop and maintain a healthy fear of conflict, letting your own feelings build up so you are in an explosive frame of mind. 

2. If you must state your concerns, be as vague and general as possible. Then the other person cannot do anything practical to change the situation. 

3. Assume you know all the facts and you are totally right. The use of a clinching Bible verse is helpful. Speak prophetically for truth and justice; do most of the talking. 

4. With a touch of defiance, announce your willingness to talk with anyone who wishes to discuss the problem with you. But do not take steps to initiate such conversation. 

5. Latch tenaciously onto whatever evidence you can find that shows the other person is merely jealous of you. 

6. Judge the motivation of the other party on any previous experience that showed  failure or unkindness. Keep track of any angry words. 

7. If the discussion should, alas, become serious, view the issue as a win/lose struggle. Avoid possible solutions and go for total victory and unconditional surrender. Don’t get too many options on the table. 

8. Pass the buck! If you are about to get cornered into a solution, indicate you are without power to settle; you need your partner, spouse, bank, whatever. 

(Ron Kraybill, Tell it to the Church, Lynn Buzzard, David C. Cook, 1982, p. 23)

Disagreements are inevitable in community. Anyone who grew up with siblings knows that time and proximity are the only two ingredients required to eventually stir up conflict between two individuals who differ in anyway. Having conflicts is unavoidable – we can’t do much about that. But handling conflicts – now that’s another story. 

Paul speaks to us about the importance of handling conflicts well whenever they arise in the community of faith. We have to be careful to handle conflicts appropriately and swiftly so that there are no divisions among us. Why? Because we are family! God’s family – we are united as One in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Prayer: Lord, please help me to be a peacemaker in my faith community. I specifically want to surrender these specific areas of conflict that I am facing today – [name them].  Give me a heart of humility in my dealings with others and remind me of the precious bond Your children share through the blood of Jesus. In His name I ask these things. Amen. 

Bible Reading for Today: Amos 8

Lunch Break Study

Read James 4:1-10: What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

Questions to Consider

  1. What does James say causes conflicts in our relationships with one another? Looking at conflicts you’re currently experiencing or conflicts you’ve experienced in the past, how do you see the truth of vv. 1-2 play out? 
  2. What is James’ solution to our problem with conflicts? 
  3. What are some ways God is calling you to draw near to Him? What are some ways God is calling you to humble yourself? How could this affect situations of conflict in your life? 

Notes

  1. James says that conflict is caused by our own pleasures (or desires) waging war within us. We find ourselves in conflict with others because we have conflict within ourselves. We have felt needs or desires that aren’t being met. As a result, we try to meet them in other people (who often fall short), and then blame them our predicament – usually subconsciously. Every conflict can be boiled down to an unmet (whether perceived or real) need or desire (be it legitimate or illegitimate). 
  2. The Sunday School answer rings true here – JESUS. The Lord is the source of all that we need and when we feel like our needs (and desires) aren’t being met, it’s best for us to go the source – to the one who provides all things for us. And when we go to Him, we must do so with an open heart, giving Him room to examine our motivations and reform our desires.  
  3. Spend time in personal reflection. 

Evening Reflection

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Jesus’ words above suggest that there is more riding on our relationships with one another than merely our own happiness. The fate of those outside the community of faith is bound up in our relationships. It is by our love for one another – and our willingness to lovingly address the inevitable conflicts that arise – that the world will come to know we belong to Jesus and will begin to see just what His love is all about. 

What are some ways you’ve seen how poorly handled conflict deter others away from the Church and the Good News we proclaim? Spend some time praying for your Church community. Ask that God would help you all to demonstrate his love especially in situations of conflict. 

October 17, Tuesday

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on May 2, 2017.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“How Do You Feel About Sin?”

2 Corinthians 7:2-10

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

When I was in middle school, I was caught shoplifting some candy at a local grocery store. It was a random stranger who turned me in to the store manager. When I was confronted by the manager, I pleaded with him to let me go, that I was sorry and I would never do it again. The manager gave me a tongue lashing, but for some reason, he did not turn me over to the police. Maybe he thought it was not worth his time to report such a petty theft. But here’s the thing: I found myself shoplifting again, no more than a month after my sorrowful repentance.  

Here is what the Bible teaches us today: there is an infinite difference between confessing your sin and feeling true sorrow for your sin. We are told that we can repent and even grieve over our sins, but if it is not accompanied by true sorrow or true regret, it will eventually lead to death. We will return to that same sin as a dog returns to his vomit. That is why we need to feel grief and sorrow so deep that we will find ourselves drawn not just to the consequence of sin, but will have real hatred for the actual sin itself.

In other words, a heart that is truly seeking the Lord will have a sense of genuine sorrow for sin. That sorrow will lead to a change of attitude in the heart, which will ultimately lead to a change in the choices we make in life. It is possible. We can find obedience to God become increasingly easier as we feel more deeply regretful over our sins.

Take some time today in your prayer, and ask the Lord to search your heart so that He can expose to you the areas of your life where you can apply godly sorrow. Ask Him to leave no stones unturned. As you do that, the Holy Spirit will begin to convict you of the areas you may need to take action in. Ask God to help you obey. In your obedience, you will find abundant life!

Prayer: Father, to be honest, there has been many times I have done something I knew to be wrong, but casually asked You for forgiveness, not really considering the seriousness of my sin.  Forgive me, Lord, for not approaching You with a heart of true sorrow for offending Your Most Holy Throne. Lord, help me to approach You sincerely and honestly with a heart determined to please You, even when I miss the mark. I want nothing more than to stand before You, pure and free from any chains that might bind me to this old world. Lord, I ask You to teach me godly sorrow and help me to quickly recognize when I offend You. Purify my heart, oh God, and help me to be a pleasing and submitted vessel of honor, set apart to glorify You—this is the desire of my heart! In Jesus’ name, Amen!  

Bible Reading for Today: Amos 7

Lunch Break Study 

Read 2 Samuel 12:1-13: And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms,[a] and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5 Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” 7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8 And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. 9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

Questions to Consider

1. Consider how Nathan approached David about his sin? What are some lessons to learn when confronting someone who may be lost in sin?   

2. What does David’s response in verse 13 tell us about the nature of sin?   

3. Is there any sin in your life that you may be ignoring?

Notes   

1. There is wisdom in the way Nathan approaches David. He reasons with him, without attacking him or faulting him on matters not related to the sin at hand.

2. All sin is ultimately against God. This doesn’t absolve our responsibility to make amends with the person we have sinned against, but ultimately, we must ask the Lord to make us right. 

3. Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Meditate on this: “I would rather die than do something which I know to be a sin, or to be against God’s will” (Joan of Arc).  Let’s not take sin lightly, not just because it hurts the one committing it, but more importantly, it grieves the heart of God the Father.  

October 16, Monday

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on April 10, 2017, is written by Pastor David Son who pastors the Thrive Church in Taipei.  He is a graduate of University of California, Berkeley (BA) and Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.). Stay up to date with Thrive Church by following them here: https://www.instagram.com/thrivechurchtaipei/

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Prancing Dad”

Hebrews 5:8-9

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

About a month ago, I was walking in downtown Boston, and I found myself walking behind a father and daughter, holding hands as they walked along the sidewalks of downtown. The man was probably in his 40’s, fully suited from head to toe. It was obvious that he worked in the corporate world in downtown. Next to him, holding his hand was his daughter who couldn’t have been more than 5 years old. As I was walking behind them, the daughter started skipping. In my heart, I thought, “Aww, what a cute pair…” But I didn’t expect what happened next to happen. Before I could finish my thought, the dad started skipping too! With his suit jacket flapping in the wind, and dress shoes clunking and skidding on the pavement, his gait was anything but graceful. In fact, he looked ridiculous! But as I watched them skip and prance ahead of me, I thought, “That man might be an important businessman somewhere, but he is certainly a great father.” And in that moment I understood a little more of God’s heart for us; although He is an Almighty God, He would willingly humiliate himself, endure ridicule, and go through suffering, all for the sake of being with us. 

To be clear, our passage today is not at all saying that Jesus was imperfect at one point, nor was Jesus disobedient at any moment of His life. But it is telling us that God willingly took on flesh and experienced (learned) first-hand what it’s like to be human. Jesus walked, talked, ate, wept, and suffered with us. Furthermore, Scripture says that without falling into sin, He also endured every temptation that we experience. And that’s what made Him our ideal Savior and sympathetic High Priest.

This week, as we remember what Jesus went through on our behalf, let us not forget that He did it all for the sake of being with us.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for willingly humbling Yourself, laying down Your titles and walking in our shoes. May we truly understand and embody Your great love for us.  In your name we pray. Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today: Amos 6

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 2:14-18: Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Questions to Consider

  1. According to this passage, why did Jesus have to become fully man?
  2. According to this passage, what is the pre-requisite for helping those who are being tempted?
  3. How can we most effectively help others who are going through trials and temptations?

Notes

  1. Jesus had to become fully man, “made like his brothers in every respect,” so that He could become a merciful and faithful High Priest. In other words, Jesus’ divinity is what made Him worthy to atone for all of our sins. But it’s His humanity that made Him an eligible representative for us. He had to become like us, in order to take our place upon the cross.
  2. Verse 18 reads, “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” It is true that God would still be able to help us, even if He hadn’t experienced temptation. But Jesus experienced temptation for our sake, so that we can relate to our Helper. When we are tempted, we can be sure that our Lord has been there Himself, and that He understands the struggles of being tempted. 
  3. Most of the time, we feel as if we need to have it all put together before we can provide help for someone who is going through a hard time. Help is seen as something that is given as charity from the strong to the weak. But if we take a cue from Jesus, our idea of help is transformed. Although He was strong, He made Himself weak in order to minister to the weak. He willingly endured temptation and suffering for our sake. Obviously this is not a command to go out and intentionally seek suffering and temptation, but rather it is a call to be honest with our own weaknesses and flaws, because God often uses our own shortcomings as a way to minister unto others. 

Evening Reflection

This evening, spend some time meditating on this passage from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”