Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Daily Devotion

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River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Matthew 12:38-45

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here..."

The Lord used the miracle of Jonah as an example, but actually He was foretelling His own work. In our days, the greatest miracle is that Jesus died on the cross for us for three days, and resurrected from death after three days. Jonah was trapped inside the fish for three days, in the same way Son of Man was buried for three days. When Jesus resurrected from death, He brought salvation to human beings by forgiving, redeeming and delivering us from our sins. Verse 41 says "now something greater than Jonah is here," which refers to Jesus Christ. Miracles cannot save us; the only way our lives can be saved it through knowing Jesus Christ, accepting His salvation, and receiving the power that can change us.

The Lord said here that "The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it," because the queen from the South wanted to seek God's wisdom, so she approached Solomon in order to hear God's word. The Lord said that "now something greater than Solomon is here," which also referred to Jesus. Only Jesus can give people true wisdom, and in this complex world He can point out the right way for us. If we reject the Lord, it's same as rejecting salvation and God's grace. In our time, even though people are seeking miracles and want to know the right way, but if they reject Jesus Christ the Spirit of God won't be able to enter the world and bring forth salvation. Instead, people become more corrupt in sin. May the Spirit of God help us to turn back to Him and receive His grace. Don't let our hearts be hardened, but rather let us have softened hearts to receive everything that God wants us to learn.

Pray with Pastor Tong

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Lord, I thank you because you are our prophet and our king, and you are the source of our wisdom and salvation. When we lack anything, we can come before you and pray. May you cleanse our hearts and teach us your way so that we can be victorious by depending on you each day in our lives. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!