Today's Passage - Hebrews 13:17-19

Hebrews 11:17-19   Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.     How should we treat our leaders? Firstly, we need to submit to them because God has given them authority to guide and shepherd us. As long as their theology is sound, we need to learn to submit to them. Perhaps they do not get everything right, but we need to pray for them because they are God's servants. The Spirit of God will discipline His servants. Furthermore, they often pray and keep watch over the believers. The sacrifice paid by the pastors on behalf of brothers and sisters is beyond description. Each day, they have to deal with believers who are weak or sick, problems in the church and other relationship problems. Hence we really need to pray for them.   Do you oten pray for your pastors? Let us remember them in the Lord each day and pray for their relationship with God. Do not assume that pastors will have sufficient time to draw near to God. Having pastured a church for many years, I learned that many pastors are very busy and have little time to draw near to God. May God bless all our pastors so that they will not only have the hunger, but also find time to draw close to God. This will allow them to preach the Word of God with power, and for all God to meet all of their needs.   Secondly, we need to pray for the pastor's family. A pastor's family is often attacked by the enemy. We need to pray for the pastor's children. They grow up under a lot of stress and become rebellious easily. Many pastors are often heartbroken or troubled by their children because they do not know how to lead them. May God give special grace to them so that they may glorify His name in their lives.   Thirdly, we need to pray for the ministry of the pastor. Many pastors are discouraged by the lack of fruit in their ministry. We need to come before God to pray and bless them. We need to ask the Spirit of God to fill them so that their ministry may be effective and for the Spirit of God to touch them so that they will depend on God and draw strength from God each time they minister. We need to always remember our pastors in the Lord and continually bless them. Let the glory of God be manifested in everything they do. Because when the pastors are blessed, the believers are also blessed.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, thank you because you have given us pastors so that we can experience your richness through them. We ask you to bless the relationship our pastors have with you. Bless their families and their ministries and grant them success in everything they do. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!       Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 13:15-16

Hebrews 13:15-16   Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. We need to constantly bear fruit in our lives. When we mention fruit, there is the fruit of life which are the 9 fruits of he Holy Spirit; The fruit of work, which is leading people to Christ. However, there are two other fruits that people often forget:   First is the fruit of the lips, which is the sacrifice of praise. God wants us to praise Him with ourlips. I often remind brothers and sisters to praise God every morning when they get out of bed. Otherwise, when they wake up in the morning and are dreading to go to work, they are already defeated by the enemy even before they start the day. When we wake up in the moring, we need to declare, "Praise the Lord for a brand new day. A new day with new blessings and new mercies!" If our lips are devoid of praise, we will be filled with complaining. Just as James said, praise and cursing cannot come out of the same mouth. Both fresh water and salt water cannot flow from the same spring. In the same way, we can choose the words we speak. If we choose to speak praise, we cannot curse. May the Lord remind us to offer the sacrifice of praise with our lips each day. When we praise, we cannot curse, and cannot attack other brothers and sisters.    Secondly, the fruit of good deeds are what God delights in. Many Christians are caught up in spiritual things and neglect helping others in practical ways. We often talk about loving others and praying for others. Yet we do not bring about practical help to others. May God help us to see our faith as not only spiritual, but also something that is lived out in action. When you love God in your heart, you will share this love with people around you. You will do good deeds and will give generously with a cheerful heart.   Are there people in need in your life? May God give us a loving heart and open our spirit and our mouths to praise Him each day. God's power will be manifested in our praise.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we praise you because you are the almighty God and you supply all of our needs. May God open our hearts to see the needs of people around us and give us courage to do good deeds and be generous to others so that your name may be glorified. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!       Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 13:7-14

Hebrews 13:7-14   Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so...   How should our attitude be towards our spiritual leaders? Firstly, we need to remember them in our prayers because they lead us and make sacrifices in shepherding us.   Next, we need to imitate them because they live by faith. I often think about how other ministers have helped me in the past. Their example and their enthusiasm in ministry impacted my life until today. I give thanks for their faith in God and I also learn to imitate their faith. I remember the testimony of Jackie Pullinger. She was 19 years old when God called her to get on the ship to leave her hometown, England. She had no idea where she was going. The Spirit of God told her, "Just get on the ship and I will tell you where to get off." In the end, when the ship arrived in Hong Kong, God told her to get off the boat. When she was going through custom, the custom officer asked her what she was here for. She said, "I don't know. The officer asked her, "Where are you going to stay?" She answered, "I don't know." Once she got into Hong Kong, God directed her to the poor where she served the poor until today. God used an English woman to work signs and wonders in Hong Kong. Here we see the example of faith that we need to imitate in our daily lives.   Thirdly, we need to consider the outcome of their way of life. You may see their successes or their failures. However, it is not for you to judge, but to see how God disciplines, comforts, heals and restores His servants. Although our Lord is harsh and He disciplines, He is also loving and a God who restores. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. How He takes care of His servants in the past will be the same as how He takes care of you today. Let us come and depend on Him alone.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, thank you because you are not only the God who tears down, but you are the God who rebuilds. You not only guide us but mould us. Thank you that you gave us many preachers and ministers that we can learn from in order to live out a good testimony in our lives. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!      Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 13:1-6

Hebrews 13:1-6   Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"   The author teaches us to love one another. How do we love one another. Firstly, we need to show hospitality to strangers. Seeing God's love fill our hearts, we need to share His love with those around us. Especially in the ancient times, travelers often have no place to stay. The Lord used this analogy to praise some of his faithful servants, saying, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I needed clothes and you clothed me." These servants asked him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you needing clothes and clothe you?" The Lord replied, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." When we show hospitality to strangers, we are receiving the Lord. We have even shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.   Secondly, we need to remember those in prison. We need to remember those who are trapped by all kinds of worries and fears, not to judge them or rebuke them, but to show them compassion and pray for them. Ask the Spirit of God to release them, so that they may be free.   Thirdly, we need to honor marriage. This does not only apply to the married couples, but also to the singles. Sex before marriage is dishonoring marriage. We need to ask God to help us to resist temptations in this area.   Fourthly, do not be a lover of money. This does not mean that money is evil, it is referring to the love of money. The Bible says that those who love money are greedy, and are worshipping idols. May God help us to reject the temptation of all evils. On the other hand, we should not be afraid because the Lord said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." We can boldly declare, "The Lord is our help, I shall not fear." When we have such confidence and assurance in God, we can extend the love of God to others. Are you willing to live out such a life of loving others today?   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, may your spirit encourage us and touch us with your love. Let us learn to be hospitable towards strangers in our lives and also remember those who are in prison. Let us respect the institution of marriage and not be a lover of money. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!       Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 12:25-29

Hebrews 12:25-29   See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken-that is, created things-so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."   We should not despise God. We need to be careful in how we act and how we live. We cannot act frivolously because God's judgment is real. Think about the impact of an earthquake and the damage it brings to its surroundings. Life is so fragile and disappears in a flash. Some people do not wake up once they go to sleep. If the Lord wants to take your life away today, will you be ready to meet with Him? Not only is our life fragile, the world is temporal. This world will pass away. They possessions we have will pass away. We need to come before God and recognize how limited and temporal our lives are. When we face death or disasters, this is God's warning to us, saying, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."   When the Day of Judgment comes, we have nowhere to escape. When God shakes the earth, we will not be able to stand, let alone when God shakes the heavens.  Verse 27 tells us that shaking the heavens refer to the created things, which is when the Lord returns. When the Lord returns, if you do not have the blood of Christ on you, how can you escape God's judgment? For those who have believed, they do not have to be afraid because in Christ, we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Although this world may past and our physical bodies may decay, the life we have in Christ will never be shaken. Hallelujah! Since we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken, we need to have a heart that is in reverent awe of God and live our lives in a way that honors Him.   May the Spirit of God help us, no matter what we do, to do it in reverent awe of God. Someone once prayed hoping that when the Lord returns, we will be in prayer. Actually, no matter what you do, whether it is shopping, reading or working, we always need to be ready. When the Lord returns, we will be taken up to heaven. May God help us to have a fear of the Lord and to depend on Him each day.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, I thank you because you are not only the God who judges us, but also the Lord who saves us. When we accept you as our personal Lord and Savior, you have already given us the Kingdom that cannot be shaken.  May the Spirit of God continue to guide us, to live a live that is in reverent fear of God. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!       Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 12:18-24

Hebrews 12:18-24   You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."  The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear." But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.   There's a clear contrast of scenes here.  The author said that we have "not come to a mountain that can be touched," which is Mount Sinai, where God issued the law, and where criminals were tried and convicted.  When a sinner came before the law, it would have been a frightening experience.  That's why Israelites back then did not want God to speak to them, but rather they just wanted Moses to listen to God's voice on their behalf.  Today, when we come before God, we no longer need to go to Mount Sinai, but instead we can go to the mountain which cannot be touched, which is Mount Zion.  Mount Zion is the mountain filled with grace, because in Christ we will no longer be convicted of sin, but we may be together with all the saints and angels.  Most importantly, we can meet the Lord face to face, and He's happy to speak to us, which is quite different from before.  Back in the Old Testament time, our relationship with God is indirect and filled with fear; in the New Testament time, however, our relationship with God is direct and intimate.  Do you understand the grace of the New Testament time?  You could not stand before the law back in the Old Testament time, and you'd be filled with fear and trembling; but now, the authority of sin and fear has been completely broken in Jesus Christ, and you can come before Father God without any fear.   Many Christians, however, seem to be living in the Old Testament time.  When we are weak, we ask pastor to pray for us; when we are sick, we ask pastor to lay hand on us; when we want to spread the gospel, we ask pastor to preach on our behalf.  We don't come before God directly to seek Him and listen to His voice.  We still depend on pastor or other people to come before God.  May the Lord have mercy on us, help us to see that today we're not coming to Mount Sinai which we can touch, but rather the Mount Zion that we cannot touch.  God is happy to talk to you and reveal Himself to you.  As long as you open your heart, God will perform some wonderful work in your life, so are you willing to do it?   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, I thank you because you are happy to be close to us and talk to us.  May the Lord open our hearts, and we welcome you to work and move in our lives every day.  We don't want to live in the Old Testament time anymore, but we want to be in the New Testament time and we want to enter closer relationship with you in Christ.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!      Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 12:14-17

Hebrews 12:14-17   Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.   See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.   See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.  Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.   We often hear that Christians must make an effort in getting to know the Lord better.  Besides that, this passage also teaches us two practical things in our lives that we must also make effort on.   First, we need to "make every effort to live in peace with everyone," because that would bring out the testimony of oneness.  When the Lord left the world, He prayed for the disciples, and He said that: "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one."  The Lord wants His church to be together as one.  John 13:34-35 says that "a new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."   In other word, if we don't have love for one another, others cannot recognize us as disciples of the Lord.  It makes the best testimony when we are together as one in Christ.  When we are in harmony, love will flow among us freely, and we'll bear witness for love.  In an environment of mutual trust and assistance we'd be able to see how love truly flows.  We can't just talk about loving God, but not to love those whom we can see.  Bible says that if we claim to love God whom we can't see, but not love those we can see, we're actually lying!  Therefore, we must come before God to get to know Him more, and we also need to seek to live in peace with everyone.   Second, we must make an effort to be holy.  Holiness is not just to live righteously, but it's to live a life that pleases God.  Author used the example of Esau to illustrate this point.  Esau disregarded spiritual blessings; he chose food over it and sold his status as the first son.  Even though he wanted to turn back to his father later, it wasn't because he sought God, but he was just seeking blessing.  Apparently Esau was always focusing on things of the world, but God; therefore, he was ultimately abandoned by God.  Being unholy doesn't mean committing major crime; when we are not focusing on God but have our eyes set on the world instead, our hearts will depart from God and cause us to commit sin.  May God help us to be willing to lay down all the burdens that hinder our live, and to come closer to Him to seek His beauty.  Let us know only be a Christian in our heart, but also a Christian in action.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we thank you because you are the Lord who makes us holy.  We want to surrender our lives to your hands, and we ask that you come and rule our lives so that we may please you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!      Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Hebrews 12:9-13

Hebrews 12:9-13   Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!  They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  "Make level paths for your feet,"so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.   We all have experienced being disciplined by our parents when we were growing up.  I recall that that one time when I was young I didn't feel like going to school, so that I went out to wander around with some classmates.   My teacher found out and when I went home I was disciplined by my parents, so I never did it again.  Disciplining is helpful for a child who's growing up, and it's the same for spiritual matters.  It says this passage that the fathers "disciplined us for a little while as they thought best."  Disciplining by earthly fathers sometimes enrage the children, but when the true almighty God and father of all spirits disciplines us, He is guiding us as a father who's all-knowing, all-good and all-powerful.  This is truly precious!  The author taught us to have these attitudes when we are being disciplined:   Frist, even though we might not be happy when we are disciplined, we must understand that it will produce fruit of peace.  I recall that years ago a brother was indicted by the court for financial issues, so he hid in Taiwan and would not come back.  One day I received a phone call from his wife in Taiwan, saying that the brother was arrested.  I immediately called him, and to my surprise he told me: "pastor, all these years when came to the US, I would be filled with fear and unease; but now that I'm arrested, I'm now filled with peace."  After we're disciplined, our hearts will bear fruit of peace.  Thanks the Lord that this brother is now free to enter Taiwan and US because his case has been closed, and God's grace had indeed come upon him.  You might not feel that it's beneficial when you are disciplined, but afterwards you'll discover that you have true peace and joy inside.   Next, we must "strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees," which means do not be frustrated.  We must see that God's will is good when we are disciplined, and thus we need to continue to dash forward.  We must not just focus on the circumstance of today, but rather focus on what God can accomplish for us.  We can be filled with excitement knowing that God can turn our circumstance around and accomplish great things in our lives.  May God help us to completely depend on Him in our daily life so that we can experience His victory!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we thank you because you are a faithful God.  Even though we are disciplined by you, your disciplining always brings us true peace and joy, and you help us to strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees.  I pray for the brothers and sisters who are weak and being disciplined right now.  May the Spirit of deliverance from the Lord come upon them so that they will no longer be accused by the enemy in their lives and instead have tremendous strength from you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!      Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!