Today's Passage - John 16:25-30

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16:25-30    "...... In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."                  The Lord said in verse 26, "In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf." In that day, we can cry out to God in the name of the Lord. Brothers and sisters, that would be an impossible feat in the Old Testament times, because at that time people trembled in fear when they came before God, and only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place.                  Before entering the Most Holy Place, the high priest must cleanse himself for three days. Once he entered the Holy Place, as bells were hanging around the hem of his robe, the people outside knew he was still alive when they heard the bells ringing.  It was an extremely terrifying experience when a guilty person came before the holy God, because he might have offended God and there was no cleansing of the sins, thus God struck him to death on the spot. Whenever I read these passages, I am glad that we are living in the New Testament times, and we can pray before God with confidence. Brothers and sisters, do you treasure this authority that God has given to you?                  Psalm 77:19 says, "Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen." When the Israelites came to the edge of the Red Sea, looking at the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptian army pursuing them, it seemed there was no way out. It turned out that God's way is really in the depths! God prepared dry ground for their passages, that's beyond imagination! Daniel's three friends were asked to worship the gold idols before King Nebuchadnezzar; then they see there was no way out as they had to die if they did not do it. It turned out the Lord came beside them as they were thrown in the fiery furnace, and the fire did them no harm! Wonderful! Inconceivable!                  Brothers and sisters, God's way is really in the depths, and his footprints are not seen. We need to pray, because in prayer we can understand God's will, and see God's way. Are you in distress? May God help us to trust no more the wisdom of the flesh to solve problems, but to look upon God in prayer, steadfast in prayers, not giving up; finally you will enter the abundance that God has prepared for you.                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, thank you, because you have opened a new and living way for us, such that we can approach you with confidence. You will bear all of our weaknesses, and show our ways. We thank and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

Today's Passage - John 16:23-24

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16:23-24   "In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."    The disciples have been following Jesus very closely. When they encounter difficulties, they would ask Jesus. When there is something they lacked, the Lord would provide for them. Jesus is their teacher and leader. Thus, when the Lord is about to depart from them, they feel panicked and lost. Even though the Lord tells them again and again that the Holy Spirit will descend, the Holy Spirit is their Comforter and will testify for the Lord, the Holy Spirit will cause them to remember all that the Lord told them, and the Holy Spirit will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. However, they haven't experienced this and find it hard to understand and their hearts have many doubts. Therefore, in vs. 23, the Lord says, "In that day you will no longer ask me anything." That day is referring to the time when Jesus will rise from the dead, when he will meet them again, and also the day when the Holy Spirit will descend on them. When the Holy Spirit comes into their hearts, he will lead them into all truths.     Brothers and sisters, you should not depend on human wisdom to understand this, otherwise you will be like the disciples, asking again and again but still don't understand. You need to welcome the work of the Holy Spirit, letting the Holy Spirit give you the spiritual wisdom so you can understand spiritual things. The Lord reminds the disciples even though he will depart from them, he will give them the more precious authority, the authority to pray in the Lord's name. Before Jesus rise from the dead, the prayers of the Israelites are limited, they have to ask God through the priest. But now the Lord tells them, "I have given you the authority to directly pray to God through my victorious name". Many Christians often missed the authority of "pray in Jesus' name" and thinks that "pray in Jesus' name" are only the words to end a prayer. I remember when my children were young, they love to hear the phrase "pray in Jesus" because they know when they finish saying "Amen" they can start eating. "Pray in Jesus' name" represents the authority we have to come before the Heavenly Father without fear and trembling. Think about this: if it were not for the salvation of the Lord Jesus through the cross, who can stand before a holy God?     In addition, the authority to "pray in Jesus' name" is also the authority to overcome the enemy, because on the cross Jesus had destroyed all the works of the enemy! Therefore, we can pray in the name of Jesus for the sick, for those who have not believed, and for those who have been wounded in their heart and spirit. For the Lord comes so that the prisoners receive freedom, the oppressed be set free, and the blind can see! Do you know you have this kind of authority? The Lord says, "Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." Hallelujah!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, I thank you, because you gave me authority so I can pray in your name and receive. I proclaim in your name: the oppressed be set free, the sick be healed, and the hearts in bondage receive freedom! I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

Today's Passage - John 16:19-22

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16:19-22    "Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."    The way of the cross will always be pain first and joy later. The Lord Jesus knows that he has to go to the cross and give up his life for the people of the world. He has to depart from the Father's glorious presence and leave the splendors of heaven to come to the world as a man. And now he has to face another departure, the departure from the disciples he loved. If you think it is easy for Jesus to leave his disciples, you haven't understood the true meaning of his incarnation. He is truly man with flesh and bones. He laughs and he cries. He loved the disciples and washes their feet. He grieves for them because they do not understand what he is about to do. Yet, Jesus can still be joyful in the midst of the painful and sorrowful farewell. This is because he knows that the goodbye is only temporary and the sorrow is for a moment. He clearly knows there is hope in God's eternal plan because in a short while he will be resurrected from the dead and go back to heaven. Afterwards, he will be with the ones he loved through the Holy Spirit. This carries such a glorious hope!     You and I also have temporary troubles on earth. As the passage says, we will weep and mourn. However, the Lord says in vs. 12, "but your grief will turn to joy", because in the Lord, there's hope! This is like our sisters who are mothers. Basically, pregnancy is a long and hard process. The birthing experience is endlessly painful. Yet, the mother knows that the pain is temporary, because when the time comes she will be rejoice!    In the same way, you and I may be in various grief and troubles, waiting for the Lord to rescue us. Nevertheless, thanks be to God for the Lord promises us, "but your grief will turn to joy". Furthermore, this is a joy that no one will take away! Hallelujah! For God says, "The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light". God will be your glory because the LORD will be your everlasting light and your days of grief are finished. Praise our Lord!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, in the victorious name of Jesus, I bless the brothers and sisters: Lord, you will be their everlasting light and their strength! The days of grief are finished and you will be their salvation, turning their weeping to rejoicing! I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

Today's Passage - John 16:14-18

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16: 14-18   "He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you...."                   In this passage, we continue to see the work of the Spirit on earth. First, the main work of the Spirit is to glorify Christ. The Bible says, nobody has even seen God the Father, but the one and only Son, who is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. For Jesus Christ the Word to become flesh is to show the love of God, His faithfulness and His plan to the world. This is why the Lord Jesus said, "He who has seen me has seen the Father."                  But after the Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection and his ascent to heaven, we see no more of Him! Praise God, He sent the Spirit to work. The purpose of the Spirit's work on earth is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ is us. Therefore Paul said in 1Cor. 12:3, "and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit." So may God help us, do not overlook the work of the Spirit, and do not indiscriminately reject the manifestation brought by the work of the Spirit.                  Over the years the Lord often teaches me to understand the work of the Spirit with a humble heart. When I see the manifestations that I do not understand, I would ask whether this is the work of the Spirit. If it is, I humbly receive no matter if there is any explanation to it; if it's not, I ask the Spirit of God to stop this manifestation. Once I adopt this attitude towards the outward manifestations without the indiscriminate rejection, the Spirit will teach me how to discern what is from the Spirit and what is from the evil spirit; and what is from the flesh; because the work of the Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ.                  Next, the Spirit comes to make known to us what it has received from Jesus. To "make known", it's not simply knowing the work of Jesus Christ; it's also for us to receive all the grace from Jesus Christ. The Father is the creator, the planner, but the Lord Jesus is the executor of the salvation, the one that becomes the flesh; while the Spirit is the one that fulfills, because it's impossible for us to know the work that Jesus Christ fulfilled for us without the work of the Spirit.                  To this end, the Lord Jesus Christ asks the disciples to wait for the coming of the Spirit, because he would rise from death and ascend to heaven, the disciples would not see him again with their naked eyes, but they can experience again the presence of the Lord through the work of the Spirit, and indeed a more powerful presence! Brother and sisters, have you ever experienced the presence of the Lord? Not just knowing it in theory, but to really feel it in our lives! We ask the spirit of the Lord to put in our hearts the longing to experience the presence of the Lord, we also ask the Spirit to show God's presence in our everyday lives!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, thank you, because you send the Spirit to work. We pray the Spirit to open our minds now, looking directly only at God, to receive His healing and grace, walking with Him, enjoying all of His grace. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

Today's Passage - John 16:12-13

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16:12-13   "...I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.  He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come."    Holy Spirit has one other mission in the world - To guide us into all the truth.  "Into" all the truth means to experience truth in life.  In other word, Holy Spirit doesn't just want us to understand all of God's truth in our head, but He wants to lead us to actually experience God's truth!  Many people merely read the text of God's word and feel bored, and no wonder some people say that reading the Bible is like chewing peanuts; not only it's hard to chew, it's also hard to digest after it's swallowed.   We need to ask the Holy Spirit to shine upon us, let God's word become the lamp to our feet and light to our path.  Some said that Holy Spirit is like a rice cooker; He can cook the word of God from raw rice to cooked rice, so that when we eat it we gain energy and nourishment!  We must welcome Holy Spirit to turn God's word into rice that we can eat, so that our life will naturally be nourished and continue to grow.  Even though the Bible is entirely God's word, not all text are what God wants to speak to you today.  That's why when I read the scripture, I often start with this prayer: "Lord, please give me a word, and let that word become strength for me today."   Many years ago I moved from East Coast to West Coast, and we decided to drive our car to the West Coast and I planned a two-week trip.  Two days before we left, I found the car had some issue with electrical system, and even the repair shop couldn't find the problem.  The night before we left, I pray to God: "Lord, you must give me the confirmation of a word, so that I can safely drive to the West Coast.  Give me a word so that there'll be peace in my heart."  God then gave me a scripture passage - Joshua 4:23 - where He said "or the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Seawhen he dried it up before us until we had crossed over."  This passage became the source of my strength for those two weeks.  Every day when I drive, I pray to God: "Lord, I thank you because you are waiting before me, hallelujah!"  The Lord kept us safe with this word till we reached West Coast.   Brothers and sisters, you also need a word from the Lord!  We need to seek God in our daily life, so let God's Spirit bring us into the truth of God and experience the power from the word of God!  May God's Spirit give us an eager heart, so that we don't just read God's word casually, but to seek His word and let His word from our strength and help!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, please give us a word so that we may regain strength by your word, and give us your guidance so that we know where to go today.  Lord, we come before you to listen to you quietly, so please speak to us.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - John 16:8-11

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16: 8-11   "When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin , because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."   The main work of the Holy Spirit enables us to recognize our own sin.  According to our human nature, it is unlikely for us to confess our sin.  Perhaps as Christians, you may say, "Thank you Lord! I confess I am a sinner."  But often times, we only confess that we were sinners in the past, and we even bear testimonies saying, "I was once lost, but now I am found."  Perhaps, we may be entangled by worldly entertainment, but now we are under the bondage of our spiritual pride instead.  We no longer can see the darkness in us nor can we feel the need for God unless we are illuminated by the Holy Spirit.     We often teach others saying, "If you were to be filled by the Holy Spirit, you need to empty and cleanse yourself first. " Without the work of the Holy Spirit, how do we know we need to empty ourselves?  Therefore, we need to welcome the work of the Holy Spirit first; when this happens, we can then see the short comings within us.     As recorded here, when the Holy Spirit comes, He will convict us of our sin, righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin because we do not believe in Him as it is clearly stated in John 3:18, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."  When a sinner believes in the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ, his sin is forgiven; but if he does not believe in the Lord, there is no hope for salvation, and this is the biggest sin of all. In this generation of non-believers, they do not believe in God's salvation; but for Christians who do not believe in the power and authority of believing in God; they   need to repent!     In regard to righteousness, it is because the Lord will return to the Father.  His death and resurrection is the proof that He is the only way and also the standard of righteousness.  No one can come to the Father except through Jesus.  When one encounters this sinless Savior who had resurrected from the dead, there is no denial that his righteousness is like an old rack of cloth, and he can no longer save himself.  To this generation of non-believers, they do not understand what God's righteousness is; but to the Christians who want to be righteous through their own effort, they need to repent!   In regard to judgment, this is because the prince of this world will be condemned in the end time.  When the Lord returns, Satan together with those who follow this world will be cast into the hell of fire for eternal judgment.  If we come to understand the horror of judgment, we would ask for God's mercy immediately. The non-believers of this age do not realize the horror of judgment, but some Christians neither show concern nor willingness to spread the gospel to the non-believers around us, instead just watch them marching toward this horrible judgment, so we must repent as well!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, we thank you for when we were still sinners, you have saved us.   May the Lord forgive our sin so that we will have this new life following you and living in the light of your Holy Spirit.  With thanks we pray, in the name of our victorious Jesus, Amen!

Today's Passage - John 16:1-7

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 16: 1-7   "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.  They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.  I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you.  I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. Now I am going to him who sent me, and yet none of your ask me, 'Where are you going?' Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief.  But I tell you the truth: It is for your own good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the counselor will not come to you. "     There were two purposes when Jesus told His disciples of the persecutions that were to happen. First, their hearts would not be filled with grief when the time came because the Lord had told them already.  Quite often, we are trapped in self pity in times of difficulty feeling that nobody would feel our pain and understand our situation; we feel even God would not understand.    In reality, the Holy Spirit reminds us of God's word. God has already told us the path that all Christians have to take.  As we think of His word and desires, our hearts will be comforted - in fact it is in God's will that all these will happen.  In times of tribulation, you will not be alone, because not only that you are in God's heart, all the apostles through the generations have also experienced these tribulations; they all trusted God providing them with strength and help. Likewise, you can also trust God to overcome all these adversities.    The second purpose was that the disciples would be comforted because the Lord said unless He went away, the Holy Spirit would not come.  When the Holy Spirit is upon us, we will have strength, guidance and comfort.  Also called "the counselor", the Holy Spirit will provide us with both comfort and guidance. When the Holy Spirit is living in us, He is our comforter regardless of what situation we are in; He will bring us peace and fulfillment in our hearts.     In addition, He is also our counselor.  In our life journey, He will provide us with wisdom to face all our encounters every day; He is your best helper.  In fact, there is no counseling in this world that surpasses God's counseling for the former is only blind and short sighted.  Only God knows your life and He will guide you with His miraculous hands so that as you follow His will, you will enjoy all His blessings and fullness.                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, we thank you   for we are living in your will.  Thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit so that we will receive comfort and guidance.  We thank you for your grace, and in the name of our victorious Jesus we pray, Amen!

Today's Passage - John 15:18-27

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 15:18-27    "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin."     The most important question in our life is really to whom do we belong? The world is anxious to know whom we belong to. If we belong to the world, then the world will leave us alone, approve our sins, and even make us feel we are not in the midst of sin. However, if we belong to God, the world will hate us, because the world hated Jesus Christ, even nailing him to the cross. Therefore, if you are facing persecutions from the world, don't be dismayed, but rejoice, because this proves you belong to the Lord.     "Oh no! It's better I don't belong to the Lord. The moment I belong to the Lord, the enemy will come to attack me!" Have you ever had this kind of wrong thinking? Even this thought is a lie from Satan! It is like being on a boat that is almost to shore and there are people who lie to you saying, "Come, drink the wine! It's no problem! Drink until you are totally drunk. Then when the boat sinks, you will not know anything!" The enemy is also attacking the unbelievers in the same way, except the enemy lies to us to make us not know we are about to sink. But as believers in Christ we have spiritual wisdom. Even though the enemy attacks us, but the Holy Spirit is with us, and leads us by the wisdom of God.     Therefore, do not be afraid. Even though the enemy can attack us, but he can't overcome us. Even though the world can press around us, but it cannot swallow us. Even the world knows that we have the right to victory in Christ because we belong to God. The Lord Jesus says they will be judged by God for their sins because they have no excuse for their sins.  Even the devil knows his day of reckoning is near! Because he knows his time is near, he is even more furious to lie and attack. Nevertheless, if we understand the truth and stand on the foundation of the truth, then we do not need to fear Satan, but rather we should rebuke the devil and the devil will flee away. Hallelujah! May God once again strengthen our hearts and minds!                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, I thank you, because in Christ I already have the victory and I can proclaim victory to the enemy every day! May the Lord grant me peace, joy, and contentment, and give me the courage to rebuke the enemy and the enemy will flee away. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!