Today's Passage - Col 3:10-11

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 3:10-11   ...put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator...   In this passage, Paul reminded us about the truth of "the new self": The new self needs to be gradually renewed.  Making of a new self doesn't happen instantaneously, but rather we need to be renewed by God daily, until God completes His work on us.  That's why people say that salvation happens immediately, but sanctification takes a life time to complete! The new self needs to be gradually renewed in knowledge.  Our knowledge of God often affects the process of our renewal.  In the story of the prodigal son, the son totally did not know his father; before he left home, he thought his father was some dictator who cannot be reasoned with, so he tried all means to leave home.  After he left home, he erroneously thought his father was some merciless judge, so he would rather in a pigsty than to return home.  His misunderstanding of his father prevented him from enjoying the grace that his father has prepared for him.  In the same way, we also need to renew our understanding of God, so that our spiritual life can be molded by God.  Otherwise, we will be in eternal spiritual starvation, just like the prodigal son.  Is your understanding of God today better than yesterday?  We need to ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts with God's word, so that we may enter all the truth about God. The new self needs to be "put on."  It needs to be put on because the virtues of the new self, such as tenderness, mercy, love and joy, didn't belong to us and we do not have them by nature.  The failure of many Christians is caused by the fact that we try very hard to live those virtues by our own strength.  These virtues in Christ actually cannot be squeezed out from our life.  We need to come before god daily, to receive grace and strength, and "put on" the virtues from God daily.  The Holy Spirit inside us is like a well in our life, for it has spring water that will keep on flowing, and our responsibility is to scoop water from the well.  If you lack patience and tenderness, then you can admit it, just like bringing an empty bucket before God, and God will fill you with His patience and tenderness. Brothers and sisters, becoming a "new self" is a daily endeavor.  It's not by our own might, but by the enlightenment, guidance and help of the Holy Spirit.  Are you willing to be a new self today?        Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I am willing to be a new self everyday.  Spirit of God, please shine in my, and let me see how I am lacking and thirsty in my spirit.  Lord, I don't want to be stuck at where I was yesterday, so I ask you to fill me and cleanse me today, and let my spirit be renewed by you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 3:5-9

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 3:5-9   Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry...   Among the many sins from our "earthly nature," greed is probably the one that we think about the least.  We think of greed as the path to getting rich in the world, and the essential stimulus for the economy.  Greed is considered perfectly normal by people of the world, but the Lord said that greed is same as idolatry.  In other word, to be greedy is same as to worship an idol.  What is the idol then?  It's money!  In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord clearly stated that one person cannot serve two masters, and we cannot serve God and serve mammon - which means money and greed - at the same time.  So how do you know whether you are serving money?  You need ask yourself the following questions: What does your heart depend on?  What is the most critical thing for you?  90% of the people will answer money.  Do you want to be rich so that you can save a lot of money in the bank?  I don't think so.  You want to be rich because you think money can give you sense of security, make others accept you, and buy friendship and love.  The reality is that one day you will realize that none of them - security, love and acceptance - can be acquired by money.  Just exactly how much money is sufficient and will make you to feel safe?  You will realize that you will never have enough money!  If your heart depends on money, you will ultimately be disappointed!  If your heart depends on the Lord, you won't be ruled by money, you will understand why the Lord taught the truth that it is better to give than to receive, and you won't be busy accumulating wealth all day long. When you buy something valuable, what would you consider first?  Whether you have enough money, or whether the Lord wants you to buy it?  If we just consider money, then we are walking on the path of serving mammon.  If money is the only criteria, then all the great missionaries in the past would not have traveled far from home to bring the gospel to all nations, and all the mission organizations should simply shut themselves down!  Because they decided to serve God and not serve mammon, God's grace on them increased with their faith.  So who are you serving?  Are you willing to start serving the true God?       Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, please forgive me because I have often served mammon in my life, and I ask that you release from such idol worship.  Lord, give me more faith so that I can solely depend on you in my life and to follow your guidance.  May you be my Lord in all my money matters.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 3:1-4

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 3:1-4   Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God...   Paul has clearly said here that there is a new relationship between believers and the Lord, which is to die and live with the Lord.  Verse three said it clearly - "For you died."  It sounds scary at first because we are still alive!  Actually, the words die and live here do not refer to physically die and live.  In Romans chapter 6, Paul explained that we are to die from sin, and we are to live for God.  Therefore, "die" and "live" actually refer to your responses to things.  Just like how Chinese people like to call each other "dead man" when they fight, it means that you are like a dead man who has no response to anything.   To those who belong to Christ, we are to die from sin.  It's not because the law tells us not to sin, but rather it's because the joy in sin no longer attracts us.  Just like a person who's dating; before he starts dating, he would join singles party, even when uninvited, all the time, but after he starts dating he no longer interested in those parties.  In the same way, when someone accepts the Lord, his attention will start shifting from the secular matters to Christ.  The transition is not caused by law, but it's the natural manifestation of life.   Paul also reminds us that since we are already dead, we must live with Christ.  How should we live with Christ?  First of all, we must think about God's word all the time.  Learn to let God's word fill our thoughts, because whatever is in our mind will become our life and habits.  If you always think about what happens in soap operas, then you will live like you are in a soap opera; if your mind is filled with God's word, you will then live in the form of Christ.  Also, we must learn to look at things from God's perspective.  When we look at things from a different perspective, even the perspective from God's throne, we will make very different conclusions.  From your perspective, you may see no way out, but you will shout with joy if you look at it from God's perspective.       Pray with Pastor Tong           Let us pray with this short poem: Lord, I am not the most outstanding or cutest child in the eyes of my parents, when I leave the world I hope people will say: He has the eyes of Father God, for he sees hope in despair, solution in difficulty, and comfort in sorrow.  Yes, I have the eyes of Father God!  I thank you in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 2:20-23

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 2:20-23   Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste!  Do not touch!"?  ...Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.   The Bible says that we need to die and live with the Lord, but since we are still alive, how do we die with the Lord?  This passage clearly tells us that the meaning of "die" is to "depart from."  Paul specifically said that we have already departed from "basic principles of this world," which are the regulations of the world that tell us to do this or not to that.  These regulations can help us to live a pious life, but they can also easily lead us to become self-righteous.  Remember what the Lord taught us through the parable of the Pharisee's prayer?  The Pharisee prayed: "Lord, I fast twice a week, and I donate one tenth of what I make to the poor."  He is indeed humble and sacrificial.  The Lord, however, said his prayer was just murmuring!  The Pharisee thought that he had made it and he could claim righteousness before God, but the Bible clearly tells us that people cannot become righteous by their deeds; if we could, Jesus wouldn't need to die for us on the cross.  In order to please God, we must come before God by faith, and made righteous by faith.   Paul wanted to become righteous by deeds.  He was a serious Pharisee, and he was zealous for the law.  When he was on the way to Damascus, a light from the Lord shined on him and he encountered the holy Savior.  He fell from the horse and laid flat on the ground.  All the sudden, he for the first time realized that the righteousness he held on to was merely a filthy rag before the holy Lord.  Therefore, he cried out before the Lord, "Lord, what shall I do?"  He knew that he must depart from what he thought was right before, and even depart from his authority over himself, and surrender before the Lord.   One who really encountered the Lord will never boast by his or her deeds, because as soon as you meet the Lord, you would realize how unworthy and filthy you are, completely unable to stand before God.  Have you ever boasted by your deeds, your strength or your gains?  Are there areas in your life that you think you are so right that you wouldn't listen to anyone's advice?  Or you think the grace you received is what you really deserve?  Are you willing to depart from your arrogant self, let God's Spirit shine inside you, and make you turn back to Him?      Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, please shine inside me, and find out whether there's any arrogance in me.  Lord, please send the fire of the Spirit to burn away everything that displeases you, so that I will once again have a righteous spirit.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 2:16-19

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 2:16-19   Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.  ...Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions.  He has lost connection with the Head...   So what are "these" things?  In the narrow sense, "these" refer to the laws and rituals of the Old Testament, including food, holiday, New Moon celebration and Sabbath; but in the general sense, "these" refer to all the paths to pursuit spirituality.  Back in the Old Testament time, God ordained the laws and created the holidays with the good intention to have the Israelites remember His grace and deeds.  God's purpose, however, was never for someone to follow the holidays closely, but rather to demonstrate obedience of the heart to God.  1 Samuel 15:22 says that "to obey is better than sacrifice."  Isn't sacrifice ordained by God too?  But God is more pleased with those who are obedient than those who merely offer sacrifice.   If there are things that you need to sacrifice before God, then you ought to do it, but sacrifice alone will not please God, but there must be action of obedience.  Matthew 21:28 has a parable, where a father said to his elder son: "'Son, go and work today in the vineyard."  At first the son didn't want to go, but later he regretted and went.  The father then went to he younger son and asked the same; the younger son said yes, but never went.  So which son was truly obedient?  It's the elder son!  Before God, are you like the elder son or the younger son?  Don't forget that what will actually bring you joy and freedom is not the rituals on the outside, but rather Jesus Christ Himself.   Next, you must stand firm on the truth of God.  Since the reality is Christ, don't let things on the outside interfere us from having an intimate relationship with God.  Very often the rules on food make us focus on what we're eating, and festivity makes us shift our focus to family and friends.  Even the special visions or revelations can make us shift our focus from the Lord to those phenomena, but our hearts may depart from God.  Also, our view is often constrained by our past experience.  Paul said that "such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen..."  In other word, their faith had stayed at what God did in the past, but they've lost focus on the living Savior.  He is the living Lord, so He can constantly do new things.  The important thing is not whether something is new or old, but whether we are with our King Jesus Christ, because only He can make our life grow.  What is preventing you from growing spiritually?  Are you willing to put down everything that is blocking your way, and only follow the Lord?      Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I thank you because truth will set us free.  I ask you lift me up again so that I can be released from focusing on everything that only seems to be a path leading to you.  I want to connect with the Head and grow in the spirit with your help daily.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 2:13-15

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 2:13-15   When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.   God's forgiveness is different from the world's forgiveness.  The world's forgiveness is one of "filing away", as people will say "forget it this time, but if you do it again I won't let you go that easily," the trespass is then filed away.  Some have larger capacity for files and it takes longer for them to get mad, but for some who have smaller file capacity, they are constantly angry.  Either way, people reach their capacity sooner or later and will get mad.   God is different though, for His forgiveness is one of "wiping away," which means He no longer remembers.  The piece of paper that has all the accusations against us written on can instantaneous become blank because of the blood of Jesus!  The enemy can no longer accuse us because God has completely forgiven us.  Such forgiveness is certainly not without condition, as 1 John 1:9 says that "if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  We must come before God to admit our sin, to die from our trespasses, and God's forgiveness will come upon us.   Repenting for our sins before God is important.  Some people pray for repentance in very general terms, saying "Lord, please forgive me of all my sins."  God is certainly capable of forgiving all the sins, but if you've never seriously confronted the sins inside you, the authority of sin can still rule over you.  You may still be stuck in the constantly cycle of trespasses and repentance, because you've never brought all your sins before God for His cleansing.  When we are willing die to the sins in our heart, God can seize the enemies that seized us before, and let us be freed and released from the authority of sin.  By the cross we can claim victory against the devil and authority of sin that ruled us before.   Are you still living in the authority of sin?  Are you willing to seriously acknowledge your sins before God, and experience God's grace is wiping away your sins?  I hope you will spend longer time to pray for yourself now, and ask God to reveal all the sins and carnal desires that you need to confront with, and then ask Him for forgiveness.  He will wipe away your trespasses and enable you claim victory against the enemy by the cross.      Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I once again bring all brothers and sisters before you, and ask the Holy Spirit to shine in their heart, to see the sins that are ruling them from inside.  I ask that you give them a spirit of repentance, because you do not overlook a heart of sorrow and repentance.  You will forgive their sins and cleanse their unrighteousness, so that they can once again claim victory before the enemy.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 2:11-12

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 2:11-12   In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.   Circumcision was a mark back in the Old Testament time.  When God chose Abraham, circumcision was a mark on God's chosen people.  On the one hand, God wanted to remember the covenant He made with people through circumcision; on the other hand, people demonstrated their obedience to God through circumcision.  Nevertheless, circumcision is only a sign for what's to come, because it cannot bring true salvation to people.  Jeremiah 9:25 says that "'The days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh...'"  What God asked for is not the circumcision of the body, but circumcision of the heart.  Jeremiah 4:4 says that "Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem...," and circumcision of the heart is the attitude in our heart to break away from sin.   What does this have to do with the modern day believers?  Just as Paul described circumcision as the mark for God's elect for Old Testament, in the same manner baptism is the mark for God's salvation for the New Testament.  When we baptize in the Lord, our old life is buried with Christ, and also resurrected with Christ; however, does the ceremony of baptism guarantee our salvation?  Absolutely not, because just like what God told the Israelites through the prophets in Old Testament time, God wants to tell the church today: "the baptism on the outside will not save you; you need to die, bury and resurrect in the heart."   Did you grow up in the church ever since you were child, and never sincerely repeated for your sin before God?  Are you only a Christian by tradition, following the formality at church because you are supposed to, but has never been set right by God?  Are you still living by your carnal desires, and no one can see the glory of God in you?  Although you've always been in church and you've been baptized, is your life actually connected to the Lord?  If not, you can come before Jesus, and ask the Lord to cleanse you with His precious blood and to forgive you.  You can also break away from your old life by the victorious name of Jesus.  When you obey the Lord in these ways, the power that brought Jesus back to life from death will also move in your life, release you from sin and give you freedom!   If you are clear about the salvation of Christ, you need to give thanks for it!  Baptism is an important proof in your life, because God will use it as a mark to remember the covenant He made with you; not only is it a covenant of salvation, it's a personal promise that He's made with you.  You need to sing with joy because you know that you belong to God!     Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I ask your Spirit to examine my heart, to see whether my heart is in you.  May the Spirit of the Lord do in my heart what circumcision of the body cannot do for me; remove the sin and filthiness in my heart, so that I may see your beauty manifested in me.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Col 2:8-10

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 2: 9-10   See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.  For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form...   Formalism is the act of following the rules and laws in the church without really understanding why.   "Human tradition" is the tradition passed down by people, and in the church there are indeed many human traditions, such as closing our eyes and hands folded together while praying, because the Bible never explicitly taught us to pray like that.  When Jesus prayed, He looked up to the sky, and in 1 Timothy Paul taught the believers to pray with their hands lifted high.  Therefore, closing our eyes and folding our hands while praying is actually a church human tradition.  We follow the practice but we may not understand that the real intention is for us to focus solely on the Lord.   Church also has many rules that forbid us from doing certain things.  Back when I was in high school, the church warned youngsters against playing guitar, dancing and even wearing jeans because they are disrespectful.  We often followed the rules with disgruntle, but never really understood that these rules were good for the young people because of the social circumstance, for they helped to keep our hearts respectful for God.   Legalism is, on the other hand, to turn the formality that we grew accustomed to following into law and force others to follow them.  The "hollow and deception philosophy" mentioned here is the law created by people, and this is a common phenomenon in the church.  For example, a person started to get up at six in the morning to do devotion and felt that their spirituality grew, and therefore firmly believed that it is the path to spiritual revival.  The person promoted it at church to encourage everyone to get up at six to worship, do devotions and pray, making it seem like the only way to grow spiritually that everyone ought to follow.  Those who were able to do it were then considered more spiritual, while those who could not do it were failures.  Waking up for devotions in the morning is a great thing; however, but once it becomes a law that everyone needs to follow, it turns into a self-righteous practice of legalism.   Do the rules and law make us spiritual?  Jesus Christ is the only source of our spiritual growth.  Are you also living in the bondage of formalism and legalism?  May the spirit of God examine us, so that we may be released from the state of self-righteousness, and thus have true freedom in the spirit.    Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, please examine my heart and release me if I am still in the bondage of formalism and legalism.  Set my heart free, and help me to focus my eyes on you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!