Today's Passage - Phil 3:10-12

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Phi. 3:10-12   "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead..."   Many people often say, "I want to know more about Christ."  The question is, what would you like to know about Christ?  Some study about Christ as a philosophy, others research about Christ as a historic figure.  What would you like to know about Christ when you come before Him?  Paul mentioned here two aspects of the Lord that He would like to know:    1.     To know the power of His resurrection.  Lord's resurrection does carry power.  Roman 1:4 says that Jesus "declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."  After His resurrection, the Lord said that "all authorities on earth and in heaven have been given to me."  In other word, He has the authority to overcome sin and the authority of death, and even the authority of disease.  This authority can release tremendous power that can release us from sin, the world and the devil.  Such is the power of resurrection.   2.     To know His suffering and be like Him in His death.  This doesn't mean that we actually die like He did, but it's to be like Him in sacrificing ourselves.  It's much like how Lord Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane - "Not my will, but yours be done."  Lord Jesus obeys the heart of the Father God and He was willing to lay down Himself to follow God's will.  Paul wanted to be like the Lord in His suffering, which on the outside may look like a loss, but it's a trade between something temporary with joy and satisfaction in the Lord.  Paul also wanted to "attain to the resurrection from the dead," which means through obedience he would like the resurrected life of the Lord to manifest in his life.   The truth of the Lord's resurrection will never change, so don't let it stay in your rational mind, but make it flow out from your life! you willing to do it?         Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I thank you because you died and resurrected for us so that we can overcome sin, death and authority of diseases.  Lord, I am willing to let you become my Lord in every part of me, so that the resurrected life will be manifested in me.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!