REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on February 4, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Calling”
Acts 3:1-5
One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

“Everyone will be forgotten, nothing we do will make any difference, and all good endeavors, even the best, will come to naught. Unless there is God. If the God of the Bible exists, and there is a true reality beneath and behind this one, and this life is not the only life, then every good endeavor, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God’s calling, can matter forever.” (Tim Keller)
In one way or another, all people have a felt internal need to make their lives matter. Some of us satisfy this need by serving of others, believing our life to be more significant the more people we impact. Others of us do it by seeking to fulfill all our desires and dreams to the uttermost, believing that we’ll make it count most by maxing out on experiences and adventures. Whatever approach we take, whether Christian or not, humans crave significance and need to know that we make a difference in the world. 
In the context of the church, this need is often addressed through the language of “calling.” We wonder what good works God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10), and how He wants us to make an impact in the world for His Kingdom. But, as we see in our passage today, more so than having a comprehensive understanding of God’s calling on our life – how He’s gifted us and what He wants to do – God’s people made a great impact in the world as they lived simple lives of worship to Him. Peter and John, in their regular and mundane life of devotion (it was their custom to go to the temple for prayers, sacrifice, and fellowship), were used powerfully by God to perform a miracle. In our passage yesterday we talked about the importance of devotion. And today we see that it is that very life of devotion that positions us to be used by God in significant and meaningful ways.  
Prayer: Heavenly Father, make my life matter for the advancement of your Kingdom and the glory of Your Name. May my simple offering of my devotion and worship every day position me to be used by You in unexpected and powerful ways.  In Jesus’ name. 
Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 9

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 28:16-20: Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Questions to Consider

1. What preceded the disciples receiving their “calling” from Jesus? 
2. Many commentators say the following translation better communicates Jesus’ intent in verse 19 – “ As you are going, make disciples, baptizing and teaching.” How does this influence your understanding of this passage?
3. Why are Jesus’ words at the very end of this passage important? How do they encourage you?

Notes

1. Obedience. The disciples were obedient to what Jesus told them to do – not knowing why or what would happen when they did. Their simple act of obedience positioned them to receive the greatest calling not only for their life but for the life of the Church. 
2. Oftentimes we focus too much on the perceived command to “go” and we immediately ask the question, “Where?” While this is an important question, a more important emphasis should be on making disciples. “Make disciples” is the only command given in Jesus’ instructions (while “going” “baptizing” “teaching” are all modifying the command to go). A more important question may be how can I make disciples? How can I best position myself to make disciples? That is how we make an eternal impact. 
3. Jesus’ command to His disciples ends with a promise of His commitment to be with them. Knowing that God is with us should encourage us to continue to be faithful, even in small things, knowing that as we do, we are positioning ourselves to be used by Him. It is always God who does the work of His Kingdom through us.

Evening Reflection

Spend some time thinking about your devotional life. How are you doing in the area of obedience to God in the everyday small things? Would you describe your life as one of worship to Him? Why or why not? How is God calling you to greater devotion and obedience today? Spend some time offering yourself to God in these areas, believing that as you do, He will move through you and make your life matter in ways that far exceed your expectations.  

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Jabez Yeo who is now a friend of AMI, was first posted on July 3, 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

“Don’t Feel Bad About Yourself in Comparison to Basil; Just Imitate Him”
James 2:14-19
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

Spiritual leaders (particularly known for their keen theological mind) who display their faith in both word and deed are an immense treasure (i.e., with regards to learning about faith and works, spirituality, and intellectuality). One such leader was Basil, one of the Cappadocian fathers who faithfully endorsed the Nicene Creed. During Basil’s time, an aggressive form of heresy, Eunomianism, was gaining popularity, as it claimed that full Trinitarianism was a disguised form of paganism – an argument made today by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eunomianism also doubted that the Son could be “begotten” and eternal, which led them to deny Jesus’ full divinity despite recognizing Him as Savior.
In response, Basil skillfully refuted Eunomianism by noting that if the Son was merely a creature, humanity would still be without a true revelation of God. Basil also used the imagery of the sun’s rays, which are “begotten” yet have existed with the sun since its beginning to explain how the Son was begotten from, yet exists with the Father for eternity. Basil then wrote On the Holy Spirit (“the first whole treatise on the Holy Spirit”) and effectively used Scripture to explain that “since the Holy Spirit effects our salvation, He cannot be anything but God.”
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 can be easy to feel ashamed when we compare ourselves to Basil—especially if our confession of faith is not consistent with our actions. But let’s remember that Basil was just a man 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 proclaims 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: Ezra 8

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, first posted on July 2, 2016, is provided by Ulysses Wang who pastors Renewal Church in Sunnyvale, California. Pastor Ulysses is a graduate of New York University (BA) and Westminster Theological Seminary (M.Div.).  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Study Philosophy, Anyone?”
Colossians 2:8
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Years ago I served as a youth pastor to middle and high school students.  A lot of time was spent on developing their character so that they could be the light of Christ in their schools.  There was also the hope that as they grew in their faith, they would become better prepared for the spiritual challenges they would face in college.  As they graduated from high school, I, like a worrying (spiritual) parent, warned them about the dangers of drugs, drinking, and the party scene.  I also warned them about philosophy classes.  Not that they should never take any, but that they really needed to be discerning about what they were ingesting.
My warnings were not without reason.  I remember the Philosophy 101 class that I took as a freshman in college.  The professor was an ardent atheist.  I was a (fairly) devoted Christian.  “He’s not gonna get me,” was the battle cry of my heart.  Then he challenged the class with a simple question: “If God is omnipotent, can he create a rock that he can’t lift?”  The silence was deafening.  “Bueller?  Bueller?  Bueller?”  Never before had the world seen Christians, Jews, and Muslims in such unity – we were all completely stumped.  No one said a word.  Well, that was that – the existence of God disproved in a minute, and the professor moved on.  Little did I know that the professor had pulled a fast one on us.  It wasn’t until years later, when I was taking an apologetics class at seminary that I learned that he had violated a foundational tenet of philosophy – the Law of Non-Contradiction.  In other words, something cannot be both “A” and “not A” at the same time.  But we didn’t know the Law of Non-Contradiction, and the professor took full advantage.
Looking back on that episode, it’s tempting to want to go and study all the philosophy I can in order to make sure that something like that never happens again.  It’d be great to be able to quote Kant, Nietzsche, and Plato from memory.  It would make me formidable in debate, and I would sound really smart to boot.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with studying philosophy, given that you are indeed careful and discerning with what you read.  In fact, engaging secular philosophers in their lingua franca might even be a calling for some.  However, it’s important to remember that in the end, the whole truth cannot be philosophy without Christ.  Paul unashamedly wrote, “Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Corinthians 1:20-25).
God’s wisdom will always sound like foolishness to the world because His truth is spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14), but it is truth and it is life and we are not to be ashamed.  There will be occasion for debate, but there will also be occasion to preach the simple gospel, that those who have ears to hear may hear.
Prayer: God, help me to not be intimidated by the wisdom of this world.  Help me to know that 15 graduate degrees in philosophy and a shelf full of Kant and Nietzsche don’t trump the truth of the gospel.  Give me wisdom to know how, when confronted by those espousing the wisdom of the world, to respond in love.  Give me the power of the Spirit and the right words to say.  Make me brave.  Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 6-7

REPOSTToday’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on February 26, 2016, is written by Tina who attended Biola University (BA) and Talbot School of Theology (M.Div.). She and her husband Anthony will soon be moving to E. Asia to serve as missionaries. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“The Kind of People Whom God Is Willing to Use”
Joshua 2:1-3, 8-14, 23-24 (NASB)
Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.”8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “Surely the Lord has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us.”

The story of Rahab and the two spies displays God at work in two significant ways. First, God uses Rahab, an unlikely heroine, to play a part in God’s purpose for Israel. Through a Gentile harlot, the two spies learn that Jericho is melting in fear at the thought of the sons of Israel. Jericho had heard about how the God of Israel split the Red Sea and also gave Israel victory over the Amorites. Rahab’s report is a sign for the two spies, and later for Joshua, that God has paved the way for Israel to successfully enter and possess the land. 
Second, this story reveals a glimpse of God reaching the Gentiles, which was His heart for Abraham as He said in Gen. 12:3, “And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” God delivers Rahab and her family from the judgment He was about to bring about by His holy nation, Israel. Rahab was probably confused that the two spies sought to lodge at her place, whereas most men seek her out for her business as a harlot. It was not until the servants of Jericho’s king knocked on her door that she found that these men were actually the sons of Israel. In her heart, she thought to herself, “The God of these men who are lodging in my home is the God who did mighty wonders for His people. He is God of heaven and earth. I want a future with the God of Israel. If I have favor from them, my family and I could have a hope and a future.” Rahab was not only God’s instrument to speak to Joshua and the two spies, but she was the key instrument for her family’s redemption and future with God’s people. 
In the eyes of the world and in the eyes of her family, Rahab is an unlikely heroine, but God chose to touch her life in this transformative way and to use her to bring about His purposes for Israel. What this shows is that God uses average people who are precious in His eyes to accomplish His extraordinary plans. Today, spend some time thanking the Lord that He has called average people like us to be blessed and to be a blessing. 
Prayer: Dear God, I echo Psalm 20:7 as my prayer this morning, “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD our God.” I desire for Your glory and honor to shine in and through my life. Continue to use an ordinary person like me for Your extraordinary purpose. In Jesus’ name.  Amen. 
Bible Reading for Today:  Ezra 5

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31:For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Questions to Consider
1. What is the situation of Paul’s audience, the Corinthian church? 2. What does Paul exhort the Corinthians to consider? 3. What do you usually boast about to feel valued and significant? Consider your calling – how your value and worth are found in Christ Jesus – and boast in Him today. 
Notes
1. There was internal division and quarreling in the church body. People were also troubled and felt inferior to the world’s standard of wisdom because their faith was centered on a crucified Messiah, which is foolishness in the eyes of the world. 2. Paul exhorts them to be empowered by that truth that they are God’s chosen ones. They are “in Christ Jesus, who became to [them] wisdom from God.” God did not base His choosing upon human wisdom, power, or ancestry. God chose them by His wisdom and power, so that they may only boast in God.  3. Personal Reflection

Evening Reflection

Consider your personal testimony of salvation and transformation. How does your life testimony highlight the goodness and power of God? Ask God for an opportunity this weekend to boast about His goodness and power to someone. 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, first posted on October 7, 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).  

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“I Found You in a Trash Can!”

John 20:17^b

“…but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”  

In Korea, the stork does not bring babies to their parents—that’s the job of trash cans.  For those of you who are scratching your heads, for whatever reason, Korean parents will jokingly tell their kids that they were found in trash cans, under bridges, or several other ridiculous places.  It’s like when older siblings torment younger siblings by telling them they were adopted—except the parents do this.  Even though I’ve lived in America all my life, I realize I still harass my kids in this manner.  So yes, I’ve told them they were found in trash cans.  And once in a while, when my youngest son Jon cries for mommy, I will ask him, “Do you really think she is your mommy?”  And my wife looks at me like I’m a three-headed monster every time I do this.   

Innately, people need to be secure in who they are and from whom they came from.  I guess this is why my wife looks like she wants to maim me when I make those “you’re not my kids” jokes.  I find it interesting that after Jesus is raised from the dead, He emphasizes not only that is He ascending to His Father, but stresses to the disciples that God is “your Father” and “your God.”  Jesus was instilling the truth that because He rose, all who believe in Him are legitimate children of God.  In theological terms, we call this the doctrine of adoption. This doctrine is critical to our faith because it secures our standing in the Kingdom and, hopefully, forms the basis for our actions.  In other words, as legitimate children of God, we know we always belong to Him, and the work that God calls us to do, we do as beloved sons and daughters—not as slaves.  

How do you most often think of yourself as a believer?  Do you think of yourself as a worker?  A soldier?  A hand, foot, or other body part?  All of those are biblical images of Christ’s church but remember that your most fundamental identity in the Kingdom is a “child of God.”  Now, believe it and live it!   

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for making me Your child.  Help me live this day with this knowledge and being secure in that truth.  Help me to serve not as a worker or slave but as a beloved child, knowing that I represent my Father’s good name.  Amen.  

Bible Reading for Today:  Ezra 4

Lunch Break Study

Read Romans 8:9-17: You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.  12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Questions to Consider  

1.  What are some characteristics of those who are “in the flesh”?

2.  What are some characteristics of those who are “in the Spirit”?

3.  What does it mean to be an heir with Christ, and what provisions are attached to this right (v. 17)?   

Notes  

1.  Those who live in the flesh will/are dead (v. 12) and are slaves of sin who live in fear (v. 14).

2.  In contrast, those who are in the Spirit are alive in Christ, debtors to righteousness, children of God, and heirs/fellow heirs with Christ. 

3.  In v. 17, we read that we are “heirs of God,” meaning God is our prize and treasure.  However, one of the provisions of this inheritance is that we have to suffer with Christ as well.  What that means in our context is something we all have to figure out.   

Evening Reflection  

Over the last couple of years, identity in Christ as children has come up repeatedly at our church.  I realize a lot of people struggle with their identities as children, possibly because they didn’t have “ideal” parents.  Whatever the case, take a moment to reflect on the implications of being a child of God and how it should impact your life.

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Charles Choe who leads Tapestry Church in Los Angeles, was first posted on August 16, 2016.  Charles is a graduate of University of California, Riverside (BA) and Fuller Theological Seminary (M.Div.).

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Grow Up, Please”
Hebrews 5:11-14
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

My wife and I have three kids, whose ages are 10, 7, and 11 months old. Everything about them is wonderful, with their unique life stages—each stage bringing new discovery and learning. Sometimes my wife and I are so enamored with the simple pleasure of our children acting age appropriately, we find ourselves saying, “I wish you never grow up.” But what if that really did happen? Never growing up, whether physically or mentally, would be a terrible thing to witness. 
The author of Hebrews, in our passage today, essentially says the same thing, when he states, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” (verse 12). The author is addressing a serious problem among his audience. They are not growing; they have remained in a state of perpetual infancy. How does this happen? It begins with the lack of interest in God and His Word. Babies remain babies, the author explains, because they are “dull of hearing” (verse 11), which is a common Greek term for mental sluggishness. 
This is a timely word for us today. Many of us prioritize social media before we take time to study God’s Word. The box score or the latest Hollywood gossip is of greater interest than studying theology or hermeneutics. For those reasons, our ears are dull, and many of us have not progressed beyond the most basic summary of the Christian message. 
As followers of Christ, we must commit to a robust study of God’s Word; we must find in His Word not just our guidance, but our hunger being satiated. Let’s not just skim through the most important gift God has given us. Let’s ask God to challenge us with his Word, with even the difficult teachings; and by His Spirit, let us pray that we will grow to maturity. 
Prayer: God, thank You for the Bread of Life, who is Jesus Christ. Help me to eat of Your Word and grow stronger in my faith. I want to be a mature believer. May Your Spirit help me to that end.  Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 3

Lunch Break Study  

Read Ephesians 4:17-19: Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.
Questions to Consider 

1. We are commended to not walk as the Gentiles do. How does Paul describe what their walk is like? 

2. What leads to the ignorance, darkening of our minds, and being alienated from God? 

3. How can you grow onto maturity in light of this passage?     
Notes

1. The Gentile walk is equal to futility of mind. This suggests the importance of our thought life as the people of God. 

2. It’s to due to the hardness of heart. Our minds are darkened because our hearts are not open to God. 

3. Personal application. 

Evening Reflection

If you were to grow mature in one particular area of your life, what would it be? 

REPOST Today’s AMI QT Devotional is a reprint of Kate Moon’s blog originally posted on September 15, 2016.  Kate continues to serve the Lord in E. Asia. 

Devotional Thought for this Morning

“Finding God Amid Feeling Overwhelmed”

John 14:16-17, 25-27 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you . . . 25 All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Recently, I have been feeling an increased sense of responsibility and with it, the often accompanying feeling of being overwhelmed.  Because of the particular journey through which I’ve ended up where I am now (overseeing a small house church in Asia), I’d often felt a sense of not having the right background for this work, wishing I’d had more training, etc.  Before I came out here 14 years ago, I had learned much from being a member of and serving our church in NYC, but things were, of course, different out here; there were challenges I had never faced or even imagined before.  
As different people prayed over me over the years, one running theme had been the affirmation that I had indeed been equipped with all that I needed for the work at hand.  The prayers strengthened me in the moment, but when I came back to face the reality of what I needed to do each day, I would forget and come to doubt once again.  What I didn’t realize was that I had been associating “equipping” with experience – what I had already learned, the skills I already had under my belt – but when I did, each time I faced an unfamiliar challenge, I would think that I hadn’t been equipped to meet it.  
The truth was, however, that my equipping was not only my past experience but His Holy Spirit dwelling in me who would “teach [me] all things” (v. 26)—“teaching” implying that He would help me with what I didn’t already know, “all” including situations I had not previously faced.  I began to make a list of all the situations I didn’t know how to handle but wished the Holy Spirit would teach me to handle, and as I presented them to Him, the peace came (v. 27).  
What is on your wish list today?  Something you are feeling at a loss about?  A situation where you wish you knew what to do?  Take heart – there is a Wonderful Counselor living in you who has been sent to be with you to teach you all things.
Prayer:  Lord, I give every “I don’t know what to do” to you at this moment – would You teach me Your ways in all things?  You are alive in me, so help me to walk closely with and depend on You this day. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 2

Lunch Break Study

Read John 14:23-26:Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”Jeremiah 31:33:“. . . I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts . . .”

Questions to Consider
1. In addition to teaching us all things, what is the other role of the Holy Spirit mentioned in  verse 26?

2. In what other words is “everything I have said to you” (v. 26) described throughout this passage (vv. 23-25)?

3.   What is the main idea Jesus is trying to convey in this passage (i.e., what is the context in which His promise of the Holy Spirit is given)?  When we seek the Holy Spirit, what do we  usually seek Him for?
Notes
1. Reminding Jesus’ disciples of all the things He had said to them.

2. “All this I have spoken” (v. 25), which refers back to “my teaching” (vv. 23-24) and “these words you hear are not my own” (v. 24).

3. He is urging His disciples to obey His teaching.  He promises the Holy Spirit who will help them remember His teaching so that they can obey it.  We may seek the Holy Spirit for power or for comfort, but how often do we seek Him to remind us of Jesus’ teaching so that  we can obey?

Evening Reflection

How was my fellowship with the Holy Spirit throughout this day?  What did He teach me?  What teaching of Jesus did He remind me of, and did I obey?

REPOST  Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Doug Tritton, was first posted on September 21, 2016.  A graduate of University of Pennsylvania (BA) and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), Doug is the Lead Pastor of Grace Covenant Church Philadelphia. 

Devotional Thought for This Morning

“Making Space for God”
John 16:12-15
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

I’m a terrible multitasker; if someone tries to speak to me while I am doing something, I often will not hear that person. I know it can be frustrating for others when they are trying to get my attention and I am completely oblivious. The problem is that when I am doing something else, I am unable to listen.
This passage is very clear – the Holy Spirit will speak to us. As this passage says, the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all the truth.” We talked about yesterday how Jesus left so that we could have the Spirit; and now with the Spirit in us, we can hear God directly—whenever. We are not dependent on the earthly Jesus to be near us to hear God as the disciples were while Jesus was on earth; rather, with the Spirit in us, we can hear God anytime, anyplace.
But many times, I hear people ask, “Why can I not hear the voice of God?” A common response is: “Are you listening?” Often we raise our fists up at God, yelling at Him for not speaking to us, but we are not even opening our ears to Him. If we do not listen, how can we hear? And how do we listen? We make time for real relationship with God in our lives, cultivating real intimacy so that hearing from God becomes a normal part of our relationship with Him.
God always has many things to say to us. He wants to be involved in our lives. But when we do not make space for Him in our lives, we miss out on all that God wants to say and do. How can we make space for Him? Well, praying and reading the Word are certainly great starts.  If we are not even doing those on a regular basis, we should not expect to hear from God. But as we draw near to Him daily, as our intimacy with Him grows, we will hear Him and our relationship with Him will flourish.
So today, let’s make space for God to speak. Let’s build our relationship with Him and open our ears. Jesus said to His disciples, “I still have many things to say to you.”  And I believe He still has many things to say to us.
Prayer: Lord, give us ears to hear You. So often the noise and distraction of this world drowns out Your voice in our lives, but help us to quiet our hearts, draw near to You, and listen. Remove the distractions so that You become the center of our lives.
Bible Reading for Today: Ezra 1

Lunch Break Study  

Read John 8:47 & 10:27: Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Questions to Consider

1. Who hears the words of God?
2. Who hears Jesus’ voice? What is the result of hearing His voice?
3. How can you hear God’s voice in your life?

Notes

1. This passage is very clear that whoever is of God hears the words of God. To not hear them means we are not of God. This verse is very black-and-white about this. Though it’s challenging, it should cause us to check our relationship with God; if we are not hearing from God, there may be something distracting us in our relationship with Him.
2. This verse tells us that Jesus’ sheep, or His followers, hear His voice. Being a follower of Jesus means we will recognize His voice as He speaks to us through His Spirit. And as we hear, we will follow Him – that is the natural result of hearing His voice.
3. These verses show us that those who are of God, who are in Jesus’ flock, hear His voice. Thus, we hear God by being His people. This comes through relationship with Him. Cultivate your relationship with God and you will hear His voice. 

Evening Reflection

Spend time trying to listen to God. Do not just bring your requests, but bring just yourself. Rest in His presence and listen for His voice. As we read earlier, Jesus’ sheep hear His voice, so acknowledge that you belong to Him and open your heart and mind to Him.

REPOST Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on January 10, 2016.

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“When Living in a Nice House is Not Enough”
Acts 1:12, 15
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk  from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. . . .  15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty.)

My uncle had always been a man of bravado but not that day: he spoke slowly in a low voice following a grueling surgery to treat his cancer.  A man of substantial wealth, he was living at a nice condominium during the treatment, but it paled in comparison to his house, a mansion.  In fact, I had stayed at this sprawling property the night before while in town.  As I was leaving, my uncle said, “Whenever you are in town, please stay at my house; in fact, it’s open for any Lord’s servant; I want my house to be used for the Lord’s work.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if Mary’s house was bigger than my uncle’s, which is quite large but probably wouldn’t accommodate 120 people; yet that’s how many had gathered at Mary’s house to pray.  Now, Mary’s house appears to be the main meeting place in the early days of the church, for when the imprisoned Peter miraculously got out of jail, Luke tells us that “he went to the house of Mary . . . where many people had gathered and were praying” (Acts 12:12).  So, my uncle and Mary have one thing in common: Being people of means, they gladly offered their spacious house for the work of the Lord.
It seems like a rite of passage for the average middle-class family to move up the social ladder, ostensibly through moving into a bigger and better house.   Of course, the Bible is known to frown on things like that, backed by a myriad of verses that warn against ostentatious display of wealth.   Probably the most graphic passage is Haggai 1:4, 9 (NLT): “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? . . . You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor.  And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away.”  Scary.
Does that mean the end of American dream for those who desire to be good Christians?  We cannot God ask for a bigger and better house?  Well, I think there may be one spiritual ground for asking God for one, that is, as long as we go about obtaining it the right away.  What could that be?  I think that if you are willing to use your house the way Priscilla and Aquila did with theirs, you can aspire to own a “mansion.”  Paul, as he was wrapping up his letter to the church in Rome, wrote, “Greet also the church that meets in their house” (Rom. 16:5).   
So, are you willing to use your space for the Lord’s work the way Aquila, Priscilla and Mary did?  Then ask the Lord for a bigger house.  Work hard to afford one but don’t cheat God—neither with your time nor your money—on your way to attain one.  If spiritual compromise is what it will take to get one, then, don’t do it because once you have the bigger space, your faith will be nowhere to be seen.   Plan wisely.
Prayer: Dear God, I confess that You are the King, Lord and Ruler of my life.  I once again count all my blessings that I do not deserve.  As I seek to rise in wealth, constantly drive this point to me: “Do good . . . be rich in good deeds . . . be generous and willing to share” (1 Tim. 6:18).  Amen.
Bible Reading for Today:  Mark 16

REPOST  Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought, provided by Cami King—now a friend of AMI—was first posted on April 9, 2016.  Cami served faithfully as a staff at several AMI churches in the past.  

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“About Money”
Acts 16:16-21
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

A local pastor told the story of a man who, in response to a radio station ad promising $10,000 to whomever could come up with the craziest way to earn the money, consumed an entire 11-foot birch sapling over the course of three days.  Yes, he ate a tree – leaves, branches, bark, and all (adding a little French dressing for flavor) – and filmed the whole deal to win $10,000. The ridiculous lengths some are willing to go for money are astonishing. But unlike the comical story of the boy who ate a tree and ended up with a tummy ache, the desire for and pursuit of riches is usually a bit more sinister and more hurtful to us and to those around us.
Money has a way of blinding us – not only to common sense (in the case of the story above), but also to right and wrong. And the pursuit of money often blinds us to the needs of those we hurt and trample along the way. When doing our taxes, when paying our workers, when giving our offerings, when tipping our servers, when spending more time in the office than with family, when spending more money at the mall than on the needy, we have to ask ourselves if our sense of right and wrong has gotten a little bit hazy in our pursuit of and consumption of wealth. Pastor and author Tim Keller explains that, “Money is different from other things. Materialism and greed is a sin of the eye. It blinds you…” This is part of why Paul says that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). When we are blinded and can’t see, we are bound to stumble and sin in many ways. The men in our passage today were willing to leave a girl harassed by a demon in order to make a profit. They were blind to her needs, blind to God’s work in her healing, and blind to right and wrong in the situation. Instead of rejoicing at her healing, they demanded the blood of her healers and were blind to the injustice in that. 
What about us? How far are we willing to go for money? What are the ways the love of money and pursuit of riches blinds us to the needs of others and hinders us from participating in God’s work around us? May God open our eyes!
Prayer: Lord, open my eyes! Search my heart and reveal to me any ways that my love of money and pursuit of riches has led me astray. All that I have is from You; help me to acquire it and spend it in ways that honor You, advance Your Kingdom, and bless others.  In Jesus’ name. Amen. 
Bible Reading for Today: Mark 14-15