Monday, June 30, 2014

Daily Devotion

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

John 14: 28-29

   

"You hear me say, 'I am coming back to you.' If you love me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is great than I....."

  

The Lord said, "Because I am going to the Father, you would be glad." When the disciple heard that Jesus was leaving them, they were filled with grief and sorrow because they were uncertain of the road in front of them.  They were at a loss facing the persecutions by the Jews.  Jesus knew of their fear ahead of time, so He gave them words of encouragement in Chapter 14, He started with, "Do not let your heart be troubled."  Not only should they not be troubled, He added, "You would be glad that I am going to the Father."  How should we be glad when our Lord leaves us?

 

First, the Lord is going to prepare a place for us.  In addition, He will return to take us back.  The Bible often illustrates our relationship with our Lord as the new groom and the new bride.  Every time when I was performing marriage counseling, I could sense that the new couples were so busy in preparing for their weddings, they were physically tired, but through their eyes I could see they were filled with joy. Similarly, when we think of His return and we will be taken to be with Him forever, we can overlook all the sufferings on this earth, all because we have a love relationship with our Lord.  How should we love our Lord? Here is simple recipe: I encourage you to spend at least 15 minutes daily with a Bible and a hymn book, bring your heart to the Lord singing praises, listening to God's voice and also praying in His own words at the same time.  In doing so, your love for the Lord will naturally increase.

 

Secondly, we have joy because the Lord has sent the Holy Spirit into our midst.  He becomes our comforter, our help and reminds us of God's word and promises.  We shall never be lonely because the Holy Spirit Himself will guide us. For this reason, we will have genuine peace in our hearts, the peace built on God's words which free us from all sorrow and fear.  Thirdly, we have joy because He will return as a Judge who will plead on our behalves. Brothers and sisters, if you understand the hope brought forth by His coming, you will have joy in your hearts. May God open the eyes in our heart, so that we may be filled with joy knowing this truth.

                              

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Dear Lord, we thank you for not only have you died for us, resurrected   and ascended to heaven, you will return again.  May you open our eyes so that we may have joy everyday living in your promises. With thanks we pray, in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

  

 

    
        

   

                                                                       
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River of Life Christian Church | 1177 Laurelwood Rd. | Santa Clara | CA | 95054

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Daily Devotion

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

John 14:27

 

"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."

  

The Lord says here, "Peace I leave with you." This is precisely what the world lacks. Even though people keep searching for true peace, but the results are often greater disappointments. There was a man who really hoped to get peace, so he plastered peaceful words all over his house. Other people asked him, "So, does your household have a lot of peace?" The result is he responded, "Actually, there's not that much peace!"

  

Today, people like to buy all kinds of insurance. But even if you were to buy these insurance, you still can't buy the insurance for life that gives you the peace in the heart. The Lord says, "My peace I give you." We will look at these words from a couple of different angles. First, the Lord's peace is built upon the word of God. Verse 26 mentions that the Holy Spirit will come to remind us of the words that the Lord has said to us and his promises. When we remember God's word, his word will bring peace to our hearts.

  

Brothers and sisters, the peace that we possess is not an emotional effect and it is not a self-comforting feeling, but it is built upon the assurance of God's word. Matthew 5:18 tells us that heaven and earth will pass away, but not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will disappear from the word of God. Isaiah 55:11 says that the word goes out from the Lord's mouth will not return to him empty, but will accomplish what the Lord desire and achieve the purpose for which he sent it. The Lord is always faithful. His zeal will accomplish every word and every promise which he has spoken. And it is because of God's faithfulness that our hearts can truly have peace.

  

This peace does not mean that we will not face trouble. In fact, the Lord says in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." In other words, there will be trouble. But we can truly have peace in the Lord because this peace is the assurance that we are in Jesus Christ. That's why this kind of peace is not what the people of the world possess, and it is not something that people can give to us, because we can't even know what tomorrow will be like.

   

However, the peace in Jesus Christ is not like this. We don't need to worry because we know that the Lord watches over us. We don't need to be timid because we know that the Lord is with us. Brothers and sisters, if your heart still have worry or timidity, you need to come before the Lord and lay down your burdens, and by faith grab hold of God's word, believing that the Lord will certainly care for you. Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." You can come before God right now and call on him!

                           

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Dear Lord, I thank you, because in you I have the true peace that the world cannot take away. Once again, I lay down my worries and burdens before you. I ask you to grant me the peace that transcends all understanding. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! 

 

    
        

   

                                                                       
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River of Life Christian Church | 1177 Laurelwood Rd. | Santa Clara | CA | 95054

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Daily Devotion

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

John 14:23-26

 

"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."

  

The Lord says here that the main work of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of everything that the Lord has said to us. The work of Satan in our life is exactly the opposite. Satan always wants us to not remember God's word and his works. Many times we resolve to memorize Bible verses, but the result is that we keep forgetting what we memorized. Yet, we can never forget what others have done to offend us. What we should forget, we do not forget. Rather, what we should not forget, we forget so quickly.  This is exactly the work of the enemy.

   

When the Lord Jesus was betrayed, the disciples panicked. They have long forgotten what Jesus had told them that he will be betrayed in Jerusalem and rise from the dead on the third day. They also forgot that Jesus had said to them, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. I am going there to prepare a place for you." That's why they were so discouraged and disappointed. Peter even called the disciples to go back with him to their previous fishing profession, totally forgetting that Jesus will rise from the dead and that he will show himself to them in Galilee.

   

Brothers and sisters, the most deadly work of the enemy is to make us not remember the Lord's word and his works. Even though our hearts really want to testify for the Lord, but no matter how much we try to remember, we can't remember any testimonies. This is not because God did not work in your life, but it is because you can't remember it. Do you know what to do when this happens? You need to welcome the Holy Spirit to do the work of remembering in you. When the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost, the disciples begin to remember, not just remember the great things that the Lord has done, but also remember what the Lord has said. Thus, they wrote down these words to become the four Gospels. Hallelujah!

   

Many times we neglected God's promises and calling in our lives. We cater to the busy lifestyle and realities of our situations, and thus we also forget God's will. However, when the Holy Spirit comes, he will help us remember the Lord's calling, the Lord's works, and the Lord's promises! The moment the Holy Spirit reminds you, you will experience tears coming down non-stop, and your heart will be warmed once again. This is because you will discover that God still loves you so much, yesterday, today, and forever his love and faithfulness never change, hallelujah! Brothers and sisters, have you been reminded of the Lord's word and his works? May the Holy Spirit come to help you!

                           

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Dear Holy Spirit, I welcome you. Please come and descend upon me. Let me remember your grace and your calling, so that my heart will not go astray. And once again let me enter into your will to be used by you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! 


 

 

  
        

   

                                                                       
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River of Life Christian Church | 1177 Laurelwood Rd. | Santa Clara | CA | 95054

Friday, June 27, 2014

Daily Devotion

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

John 14: 22

  

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"

                

Judas asked Jesus, "Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?" Lord, haven't you said: "God so loved the world?" Why grant this grace only the believers? Why is it only the ones that love you would experience your work? In fact they are not in conflict. On the one hand the heart of God is with man, the Bible said it is God's desire to save the world and let no one perish. On the other hand, God's grace is never cheap grace, and only those who humble themselves to seek God would receive the Lord. Therefore the Bible says, God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble."

                

The Lord then said in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." The Lord loved to show us favor but we need to pray earnestly for it; the grace of God always comes to the ones that seek Him. Do not forget that God wants us to build relationships, He likes to get close to us, but He also expects us to get close to Him.

                

Then how will more of the love of the Lord come to us? It's through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is serving for several aspects of our lives. First, the Spirit convicts our sins. Before we were unconscious of our sins, now the light of the Spirit makes us aware of our sins and darkness, and our hearts turn to God. The spirit of God is the light that brings rebuke as well as cleansing. Second, the Holy Spirit is like a seal in our hearts, a mark to show that we belong to God. It's like many people put a "my library" stamp on their own books to show they belong to us. Similarly, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is like the seal in our lives to show that we belong to God.

                

Third, the Holy Spirit will also bring our comfort and guidance, as His names of "comforter", "counselor". So Many people in this generation say they are lost, that they do not know where to go among so many choices, yet the spirit of God will counsel our lives. Fourth, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to obey. We can articulate many of God's truths, but we lack the power to live out God's words in our lives. Since we cannot control our own minds as well as our own tongues, only the Holy Spirit can give us the power to a victorious life.

                

Brothers and sisters, do you know the work of the Holy Spirit? Lord help us, do not deny the Holy Spirit. Let us welcome the Spirit working directly in the depth of our souls, such that our hearts can turn to God, and God can more freely show Himself to us.

                        

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Lord, fill us again with your Holy Spirit, do your work among us. Help us Lord; let us rely on your grace and power to a victorious life every day. Thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

  
        

   

                                                                       
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River of Life Christian Church | 1177 Laurelwood Rd. | Santa Clara | CA | 95054

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Daily Devotion

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

John 14: 21

  

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them."

                

The Lord said, "The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." The Lord would show himself to those who love him. What is it to love God? The Chinese would associate it with offerings or serving the churches. Just like the father that asked his wife in the movie "Fiddler on the roof": "Do you love me?" The baffled wife replied, "I cook, do laundry for you." The husband was not satisfied, asked again, "Do you love me?" His wife was getting impatient, "I give birth and raise your children?" But his question remained unanswered, so he asked again, "Do you love me?"

                

I believe the sisters among us would have a better grasp of the situation that I mentioned. Love is not what you do for each other; what is important is whether you focus on each other. Very often we busy ourselves serving God like Martha, but losing the better blessings, of sitting before God to look upon Him and listen to His words. Brothers and sisters, do you love God? More precisely, how much time do you spend with Him? Imagine the lovers; they like to spend their time glued together, so they build up their relationships. Similarly, if we want the Lord to show himself to us, we have to love God, spend time to get close to Him.

                

Here the Lord explains very clearly that loving God is keeping His commands. Not just having the commands, but to keep them. Samuel told Saul in 1 Sam 15:22: "To obey is better than sacrifice," sacrifice is easy, your 10% offering is indeed the tithe, it's over once it's done, but to obey is from our hearts. Are we willing to yield to Jesus Christ more than our hearts' desire? The Lord said, "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me." In other words, love has actions, we cannot just sit in the church to sing "Lord I love you", yet doing nothing in our lives.

                

Brothers and sister, are your love of God visible? Or it remains only with your words, not in your actions and in truth? God, help us to love Him and to obey His commands. Once we obey His commands, He will show Himself to us! Do you wish the Lord to show Himself to you? Beginning today, ask God to help us to spend time getting close to Him every day, waiting for Him, looking upon Him, hearing His voices, and willing to obey His words!

                        

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Lord, thank you, we love because you love us first. Lord, draw us to you, let us willingly spend time waiting for you, and speak to us, let us hear and obey your words. Thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!


 

 

      

   

                                                                       
This email was sent to devotion1.98hfr734@blogger.com by edevotion@rolcc.net |  
River of Life Christian Church | 1177 Laurelwood Rd. | Santa Clara | CA | 95054