Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Hebrew 12:1         Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.   We shall always honor those who bear witness in our lives.  Whenever I read this verse, I am filled with gratefulness.  Many have walked the same path of faith as we have.  The questions and difficulties that you and I encounter are not the ones that no one else has seen before.  David said in Psalm: "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? " It was obvious that his heart was once depressed and irritable.  Elijah prayed under the broom tree: "I have had enough, LORD, ...Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."  It was obvious that Elijah had lost confidence and had fallen into the darkness of despair.  Jesus in Gethsemane said in his prayer: "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death."  Generations of believers have run the same path.  They have experienced the same failure, frustration, and despair that you and I experienced, even times when there was no choice but to wait.  Whenever I thought about these, I took comfort. Otherwise, I would constantly ask: "Lord, why only me?"  I had mistaken that Christians would not be depressed.  Such misunderstanding allowed the enemy to frequently accuse us.  Indeed, there were many witnesses who have experienced all these before.  They bear testimony to how God helped them finish the good race, and fight the good fight.  The author of Hebrews spent forty verses in chapter 11 to list a series of heroes of faith.  Through the testimony of those people, the author encourages us to keep running in the path of Lord.    In fact, those who God uses are no different from you and I.  They are all ordinary people.  When they are in difficult situations, they too will worry and flinch.  But after by faith they walked the path that God has asked them to go through, their lives start to be different.    They receive God's wisdom, God's words, and God's power.  Bible says: "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit" This is the spirit that empowers people to have power of wisdom in the Old Testament.  It is also the spirit that performed miracles in early churches.  It is also the same spirit that resides in us.  Generations of witness all say the same thing to us: if they can live a victorious life through faith, then by the grace of God, we can certainly be victorious, because our Lord will never change, and He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!   Pray with Pastor Tong         Lord, we thank you because you are the same yesterday, today, and forever everlasting God.  Let us put our weakness in your hand through our faith.  We believe that you will open the way for us.  You will give us complete salvation in our life just like how you saved people in the past.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

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From MR.MOHAMMED HAZAN.

From MR.MOHAMMED HAZAN.

Dear Good Friend,

How are you together with your family members? I think all is well.
Despite the fact that I did not know you in person or have i seen you
before but due to the reliable revelation,I decided to share this
lucrative opportunity with you, I have no other choice, so kindly
consider this message as vital, believing that sooner or later we will
be multi millionaires,First and foremost, I have to introduce myself
to you.

I am MR.MOHAMMED HAZAN, THE FOREIGN OPERATIONS MANAGER OF OUR BANK
here in my country, BURKINA FASO WEST AFRICA. I am married with two
children.I want you to assist me in other to transfer the sum of
TWENTY FIVE, FIVE Million United States Currency ($25.500,000.00) into
your reliable account as the Next of Kin to our Foreign Business
partner , the original owner of the fund.

He was a foreigner and a multi companyholder who died in a plane crash
with his family years ago, he deposited the fund in our bank for his
business expansion in Africa unfortunately he met this sudden and
untimely death and the worst thing that happened was the wife who
suppose to be the successor of the account died alongside with him.

Since the deceased left no body behind to claim the fund, as a
foreigner, you are in better position for that, and no body will come
for the claim after you have applied.If you are ready to assist me,
set up a new bank account or forward to me any one available so that
the process will commence.

I will guide you on how you should apply for the claim so that
everything will be smooth and correct. After the transfer, i will
resign and come over to your country for the sharing of the fund 50/50
base on the fact that it is two man business.

Finally, note that you are not taking any risk because there will be a
legal back up as we commence.Further information will be given to you
as soon as I receive.

Fill this information

Your Full Names......................... ......
Phone Number .............................. ...
Age........................... ................
Occupation.................... ................
Country .............................. ........

Your reply.Sincerely,
MR.MOHAMMED HAZAN.
+226 6653 3650

Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Hebrews 11:35-40    Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection.Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated - the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.   We seldom pay attention to this scripture passage. It talks about some people who by faith chose the kingdom that cannot be corrupted and shaken. Therefore, they rather sacrifice all their worldly possessions, and even their lives, because they witnessed the glory of God's kingdom, so they disregard humiliation by the world.   Those who follow the Lord must be things in the spirit, and they must have eyesight for the kingdom. We shouldn't just look at our own circumstance, but rather we must see that God's kingdom will come. Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord sitting on the high throne and asking: "who can I send? Who will go for us?" His response was: "Lord, here I am, send me." When Isaiah said "here I am," he didn't know where God wanted him to go, or what God wanted him to do. He simply offered himself to God. But when we come before God, we're seldom like Isaiah. We like to negotiate with God, and then we contemplate before making a decision, so no wonder we cannot take a step forward. Isaiah first offered himself for the Lord to send him. When he prayed such prayer before God, God didn't say: "no worries, you will be just fine." On the contrary, God said: "When you preach the gospel, no one will respond; when you work on expanding my kingdom, the land will still be barren; but you will still faithfully do what I told you, because even though the tree will be fall, the root will still be there." Lord then told Isaiah: "I will keep sacred seeds for my own sake, and when the time comes these seeds will germinate and grow into plants. God's kingdom will ultimately come, and God's plan will be done, so you must faithfully obey." Throughout the generation, so many of God's servants offered themselves for the vision of God's kingdom. They solely live for God and stay faithful till they die, just like the examples in this passage.   May God prompt us and prepare us to see His kingdom. Let us be willing to offer ourselves to Him for the life in God's kingdom. Let us together build a church that glories God on earth, and wait upon the second coming of Jesus.         Pray with Pastor Tong         Lord, I thank you, because when we see the vision of kingdom you will give us strength to live for you each and every day. For generations, many of God's servants saw your vision and offered their lives to you. We give thanks and we ask that your spirit place such a sense of mission into our hearts. Let your kingdom come and let your will be done in this generation! I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

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Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Hebrews 11:32-34   And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.   The author of Hebrews lists the heroes of faith here. From a human perspective, these people were not considered outstanding in their time. However, they were willing to place their weaknesses in the hand of God and God's strength can be manifested through their weaknesses. Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress when God called him. People usually thresh wheat outdoors, so why was Gideon in a winepress? It was because he was afraid of the Midianites. Hence when the angel appeared to him and called him "mighty warrior", Gideon was looking around and wondering, "How can I be the mighty warrior? If I were a mighty warrior, I would not be hiding in the winepress threshing wheat." However, God called Gideon and he later led the Israelites to defeat the Midianites.   The same with Barak. When he faced the Sisera army, he was afraid of going into battle. He came to the prophetess Deborah and said, "If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go." Can you imagine an army general telling a woman that? No wonder Deborah told him, "Because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman." Barak was not a mighty warrior, but he was willing to come before God in obedience. In the end, God used Barak to wipe out the Sisera army. Samson was also a weak person. Delilah deceived him multiple times, yet he continued to be tricked by her. In the end when he was captured, he repented and prayed to God for help. God ultimately gave Samson strength to defeat the Philistines. In the same way, David was not an outstanding man. When Samuel went to David's father's home to anoint the king, he asked David's father to bring out all his sons. When Samuel said, "None of these are to be king, do you have another son?" This was when David's father remembered that he had a young son named David. David was not a prominent person, but was accepted by God. We often see our own weaknesses, but when we are willing to give ourselves to God and allow Him to use us, we can be strengthened by God. God's strength will be made perfect in our weaknesses. May God increase our faith so that we can live in dependence on Him each day.         Pray with Pastor Tong         Lord, we thank you that your strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. When we depend on you by faith, we can experience your victory and blessings in our lives. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Hebrews 11:29-31   By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.   The Israelites could trust God because God has proven Himself faithful. However, God's work does not necessarily go according to our timing, but according to His time. When the Israelites were about to cross the red sea, the Egyptians were right behind them. In the nick of time, God called Moses to stretch his staff towards to sea, and the waters parted so that the Israelites could walk over on dry ground. The Egyptian army continued to chase after the Israelites, but right when the last Israelite has crossed over the red sea, the waters came together and drowned the Eygptians. God is always on time! When Jesus was crucified on the cross, from a human perspective, it was hopeless. Yet, after three days, He rose from the dead, bringing the hope of resurrection to mankind. God is indeed a God who is on time. The Israelites went around the wall of Jericho 7 days. You may ask, "What is the point of marching around the city? Marching around the city once per day would be 7 times in 7 days and then shouting?" We often have a lot of doubts in us and do not understand how God works. However, when the Israelites did that, the walls of Jericho fell, just as God promised. God is indeed on time!   Here it also talks about the testimony of Rahab. When the walls of Jericho fell, Rahab was in the city. God wants to destroy Jericho, but Rahab had welcomed the two spies. God told her to tie a scarlet cord around her window and in that way, she can avoid getting killed. When God's destruction comes, Rehab and her family were kept safe, and not killed with those who were disobedient. Pray that the Lord will give us enough faith each day to believe in His faithfulness. God indeed is a God who can be trusted. He is always on time and will never delay. When we come to Him by faith, God will use his mighty hand to help us!         Pray with Pastor Tong         Lord, I thank you because you are a faithful God and you are always on time. Help us to come before you without any fear in our everyday lives knowing that your faithfulness never changes and your word is dependable and powerful. Encourage our hearts to cling on to your promises! I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Hebrews 11:24-28   By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.   Why did Moses make such a decision? This answer is "He persevered because he saw him who is invisible". Because Moses persevered, he saw the invisible God. Although the Old Testament people have never heard of the name of Jesus Christ, God revealed this to Moses so Moses can see the heart of God since the beginning. I believe that God revealed Jesus Christ to Moses and the salvation that will be accomplished through Jesus including the victory in God's Kingdom. This vision was in Moses heart like a fire burning that gave Moses strength to serve God.   A person who serves God needs to be able to "see". A vision is a type of seeing. Moses was in the wilderness when he saw the burning bush. The bush was on fire, yet not burnt. This was a strange sight and hence he went closer to see. In the end, God appeared to him in the fire. This vision will never vanish from his heart. What caused Moses to be curious was not the bush itself, but the fire that was burning. When God called Moses out, Moses felt that he was not eloquent enough. However, when he saw such a vision, he had to believe. When the fire of God starts burning in our lives, the people around us will be curious about what is happening. Thank God, although the fire is burning, it does not burn up the bush. When God's fire burns in your life, it will not consume you. When you serve God, if you feel that you are almost burn out, the fire inside of you will not be a fire from God, but a fire from yourself. You need to ask God to give you a vision so that you can continue moving forward. Let the fire of God continue to burn in your life to fuel your ministry.        Pray with Pastor Tong         Lord, help us see the vision and calling you have for us in our lives. May the fire of your Holy Spirit burn inside us so that we can run for this vision and fulfill the calling you have for us. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Hebrews 11:20-23   By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.   Generations of faith heroes listed in this passage have been faithful in what God entrusted them to do. They are people that God could trust and hence God's plan was accomplished in their lives. Today, can God trust you in what He has entrusted to you? Can you also act according to God's way, and not your own way? God wants us to be stewards in His kingdom and the request is for us to be faithful.   In the family that God has given to you, can He trust you? Especially for the husbands, can you be the spiritual leader for your wife and children and bring them before God? Many husbands do not understand how to establish spiritual authority in their household. They want to be the leader in everything except for spiritual things. Can God trust you with the money that He has given you? Sometimes God may move upon your heart to give to some ministry or some brothers and sisters, but you are so calculative, you keep discounting it or putting it off. We often ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit and do not obey God. In the ministry that God has entrusted you, can He trust you? Many people ask God to bless them with spiritual gifts, including signs and wonders. However, when God truly blesses you with the gift, do you use it according to His will? Or do you use it for your own glory? When you are suffer accusation, attacks and feel lonely and discouraged in ministry, can God still trust you? The people that God uses often have been trained to endure loneliness. We need to be faithful in everything that God has entrusted to us.   I once heard the testimony of a spiritual elder. He was faced with grave danger at the place of his ministry. He was held captive with his co-worker and someone was trying to kill them. At that time, He looked up and said, "God, I trust you!" Right then, he heard clearly God saying, "I also trust you!" He was greatly comforted and in the end, God rescued them in a miraculous way. If one day God were to tell me, "I can trust you", that would be the greatest reward for me! Let us come before the Lord each day so that in all that He has entrusted to us, we may be faithful and seek to please Him.        Pray with Pastor Tong         Lord, I thank you for first accepting us. May you help us in everything that you have entrusted us, whether church ministry, work, family or in our personal lives, help us to be faithful to satisfy your will. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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