Thursday, February 28, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:11-12

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

1 Timothy 2:11-12

  

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.

  

Paul is again speaking out against the influence of Gnosticism of that time. Some of the women at that time were taught by the Gnostics to emphasize the importance of women prophets and to esteem Eve as the Mother of wisdom. Therefore, many sisters raised themselves up, thinking that God's words only comes from them. They looked down on the brothers and despised the other prophets.

   

This is why Paul sternly rebuked them and said, "I do not permit a woman to teach". Many people who read this may feel very perplexed. Even some churches today do not allow sisters to stand in the pulpit. This is really a very huge mistake. The reason is because they do not understand the background of this passage. Some churches use the literal meaning to interpret this passage. This created many contradictory situations, such as not allowing sisters to be pastors locally, but sending sisters to be missionaries in faraway places. Don't foreign missionaries need to preach as well? If we understand the background of this passage, we would not be adding unnecessary heavy restraints on the sisters.

   

When reading Scripture, we need to discern what is culture, what is truth? For example, "woman covering her head" or "washing each other's feet" are the cultures of the church in the past. Today we don't need to rigidly follow them, not understanding the meaning behind these practices. If we just follow outwardly the cultural traditions and not understand God's heart, then these things have no benefit to us at all. If we washed each other's feet, yet cannot truly love each other, what is the use of it? Because to wash each other's feet is cultural, but to love each other is the truth!

May the Lord help us never to make culture to be the truth, just as the Jewish people at the time who want the Gentiles to receive circumcision in order to be baptized in the Lord. This is to put culture before truth. In the same way, the sisters' serving roles and positions keep changing according to the times. May the Lord help us to have a discerning heart, to understand what is truth which we need to obey and what is culture which we need to respect. May the Lord reveal his heart and will to us!

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Dear Lord, I thank you, because you are the source of truth. I ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate me to discern and understand what is culture, what is truth, so that in my everyday life I can know how to walk in obedience to the truth and be pleasing to you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! 


 



 


 


 

                                                                                           

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:9-10

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

1 Timothy 2:9-10

  

I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

  

Paul prays first for the men, desiring them to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. Next, Paul prays for the women, desiring them not to use outward beauty to attract others, but to attract others through good deeds. The good deeds in the Bible are not referring to "paving roads or fixing bridges", but they are referring to obeying God's commands. In other words, Paul prays for the women to be obedient to God and in their everyday lives and be examples of those who obey God.

During Paul's time, the Gnostics believed that since Eve ate the fruit from the tree of good and evil, therefore she must be the Mother of wisdom for all humankind. They thought that the source of wisdom comes from woman. Especially during that time, some women and "prophetess" don't cover their head, instead they made every effort to show off their beauty and liberality, pursing anti-traditionalism and personal freedom. In the society of that time, a woman who doesn't cover her head symbolizes someone who is unchaste. That's why when they did this, they were actually shaming themselves. Therefore, Paul sternly rebuked them here. Actually, Paul wants the women of that time not just pursue outward freedom, but instead pursue spiritual freedom.

   

True freedom is never on the outside, but it is in the heart and spirit. No wonder Paul says, "but with good deeds".  When a person is acting in obedience to God, then that person's inner heart will be set free and that person will be filled with joy.  A joyful person will always be the most attractive person. Sisters, what is your most attractive quality? This is not saying that you should not use makeup, but this is asking whether your inner life is attractive to others?  Do you have the Lord's gentleness, patience, goodness, and compassion inside you? Can others see the image of Christ in your life? 

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Dear Lord, I thank you, because the important thing in life is not outward freedom but the true freedom in the heart and spirit. It is only in your word and in the Holy Spirit that I can receive this. May the Lord give me true freedom in my heart and spirit. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! 



 

 

                                                                                           

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:8

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

I Timothy 2:8

 

Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing

 

In verses 8-15, when talking about the disputes in the Ephesian churches, Paul referred to the positions and roles that sisters should play in the church. In verse 8, Paul first indicated how brothers should behave, "I want men to be without anger and disputing." Apparently, men at the time had fallen into such situations.  Perhaps the biggest weakness of our brothers today is getting into disputes easily. 

 

Men are often quite competitive, interested to find out the winners and losers, but yet overlooking human relationship.  The most important element in human relationship is love and acceptance.  When a person is accepted, love is naturally returned.  Many husbands lack this understanding that resulted in squabbling with their wives to the bitter end so as to prove they are right.  In reality, wives only need hugs and comforting with their husbands' approval. In churches, we often feel justified in debating on some basic doctrines believing we are defending the truth without knowing unity among the brothers and sisters  in the church is at risk. 

 

Prayers are best way to overcome such disputes.  May the Lord help us so that instead of pointing our fingers, our hands would become hands of prayers. We should entrust all our worries, fear and burden to God, believing He is at work, and He can accomplish great things through us.  Prayers such as these can be carried out anywhere; such as in our work places, we can raise our hands of prayer asking the Lord to guide our superiors in making the right decisions as well as asking for unity and harmony among our colleagues

 

In addition, we can also pray for our families.  It is the best time to pray when driving on the way to work asking  for blessings to our wives and children so that they would be living in love; we may also asked for the revival of our next generation so that they may be fervent in spirit and glorify  the name of the Lord.  Brothers and sisters, do you know God's desire towards you?  No more disputing, pray instead wherever and whenever you can.  

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Lord, we thank you.  We ask that you take away our desires in disputing.  Grant us the unity in spirit and lift up our holy hands in prayers every day, not only for ourselves, but also for our families, churches and the expansion of your kingdom. With thanks we pray, in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!


 


 

                                                                                           

Monday, February 25, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:7

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

1 Timothy 2:7

 

And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle--I am telling the truth, I am not lying--and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

 

Paul was given three missions by God as he was being sent:

 

 First, he was sent out to preach; to preach meaning preaching God's word.  As preachers, the foremost thing is knowing what to preach, and preach faithfully according to the word of God.  God's word is the foundation of our belief, and especially for those who have dedicated themselves in serving the Lord, reading God's word is an extremely important training. Let me make three suggestions in reading the Bible: First is speed reading of the Bible; you would have an overview and understanding of the Bible in a short time without going into details. The other method is to read expediently on a single book so that you may feel some kind of accomplishment.  

 

The second method is devotional reading of the Bible in which you only read a few verses - not much to ask.  With prayers and reading at the same time, you pray along as you are reading; slowing digesting and absorbing so that your spiritual lives may be nourished.  The third method is reading like in Biblical exposition which requires some reference materials such as Biblical handbooks, Biblical encyclopedia and Bible commentaries.  With this method, you can get a deeper understanding of the Bible and your faith would be strengthened.  As Christians, we should all have these different kinds of training in God's word.

 

   Secondary, Paul was called to become an apostle, one of the five duties in the New Testament church.  Apostles were needed to provide a direction for the church in addition to the vision and driving force for its expansion.  As the gifts of the apostles were manifested, this driving force provided the strength for the church to move forward.  In the history of church development, whenever there was revival, leaders like apostles would provide new directions which persisted for a while and, as a result, evolved into various denominations.  Therefore the births of each of these denominations were actually the work of these apostles. 

 

Thirdly, Paul was also appointed as a teacher for the gentiles, who was sent to gentile nations to disseminate the truth.  Churches today needed more people to join the mission field, and instead of just taking care of themselves, they should also commit themselves in the expansion of God's kingdom. May the Lord raise up warriors of mission amongst us to work in one accord for His kingdom.  Brothers and sisters, are you willing to prepare yourselves to become the workers of His kingdom?    

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Lord, we thank you for you are a "sending" God. You have sent us to bear glorious testimonies for you in our living places.  Grant us a heart of meekness, submission, and humility so that we may become a vessel in your hands.  With thanks we pray, in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!


 

                                                                                           

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:4-6

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

I Timothy 2: 4-6

   

"He wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind,  the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time..."

   

Paul reiterated the gospel of salvation. First, he indicated it is God's desire for all people to be saved and none to perish.  We often feel God is stern and He is also a God of justice. But God is full of mercy for He did not treat us accordingly when we are rebellious, and He is forever like the father of the prodigal son waiting patiently for us to return.  Psalm 103 states, "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him". Quite often we are afraid to come before Him for fear of His sternness; but instead God is full of mercy because as He does everything to redeem us from our sin and rebellion, yet. He will never impose Himself on us.

 

Secondly, Paul talked about the Lord giving up himself.  It had not been easy for the Lord to become flesh and sent by God into this world.  He had to leave the glory of heaven and the wonderful presence of God to tread on this lonely path on earth and died on the cross for us.  On the cross, He bore the inequities of all the people, and endured the pain of separation from God.  But He was fully willing to give up Himself as a price for our redemption so that we are saved from the curse of the law and become the children of God.    

 

Thirdly, Jesus was the tool of redemption by mediating the reconciliation between man and God.  Initially, because of sin, man was separated from God, but due to what Jesus had accomplished on the cross, this separation had been restoredJesus is, therefore, our mediator, the bridge and the way.  For this reason Jesus, said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." This applies not only at the time we were saved, but also in our everyday lives as Christians.  As long as we are willing to trust Him, we can come to God through Him.  Have you gone astray? The Lord is the way. Are you weary and in the midst of distrust? The Lord is your truth. Are you in despair? The Lord is your life.  Come and trust Him for the Bible says, "Whoever believes in me will not be put to shame."

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Lord, we thank you for we have been given all the fullness in Christ through the grace of Jesus and the mercy of the Father.  May we put our trust in you fully because you are the way, the life and the truth.  May we follow you all the days of lives.  With thanks we pray, in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!


 

 

                                                                                           

Saturday, February 23, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:2-3

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

1 Timothy 2:2-3

  

"For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior." 

                

Paul said to pray for all people, among them he specified praying for kings and all those in authority. First, they have the divine authority to rule over us. Romans 13:1 says, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." Even those regimes that oppose God, their authorities are still endorsed by God. In fact, God decrees the government as an institution to reward the good and punish evil. Although some regimes do a better job to mirror God's righteousness while some do nothing whatsoever, they are still what God allows. Therefore, we shall always pray for the people in authority.

                

Second, they stand at the place of the city gate. The city gate represents choice, it can open or it can close. These people in authority are standing at the cusp of the city, country and society, we shall always pray for them, such that their choices meet God's desires. Sometimes we hear Christians criticizing the head of state or the government leaders, for they do not do things according to the bible, however, we should not criticize only, but rather to pray faithfully for them, because of the conviction that God is still working. Proverbs 21:1 says, "In the Lord's hand the king's heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him." Since the king's heart is in the Lord's hand and not in our hands, it becomes more urgent to pray for them.

                

Third, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives. The best benefit to pray for the ruling is enabling us to live in a peaceful setting. When the king or head of state fear the Lord, they do things after God's desire, bringing peace to the state and society. On the contrary, if the head of state does not know to fear God, God's punishment will surely come. Today God calls us to live in different lands, not just praying for ourselves and the family members, also recognizing this land are given by God, that we are responsible to continue praying until God moves himself. The third verse says, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior." Many people want to do things that please God, in fact prayer is the most meaning work that God has given us; are you willing to please God through prayer?

 in our daily lives.

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

In the name of the Lord we bless the leaders of our country, may the Lord uses them, gives them wisdom, such that every decision they make is desirable to you, let your righteousness manifest and peace come upon the people who please you. We give thanks and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!



 

                                                                                           

Friday, February 22, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 2:1

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

1 Timothy 2:1

   

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people..."

                

What is most important to people serving God? Is it visitation and caring? Is it quiet meditation? Or is it a busy ministry? Paul urged Timothy first to petition for all people. The bible rarely mentions "first of all", this is the few verses that stress the "first of all" thing to do, so it must be very important. Paul did not say to petition on his behalf, rather it is to petition for all people. Many people have such a feeble prayer life because they only pray for themselves, just as what the Lord said about the tax collector's prayer, saying only to himself: "I'm this; I'm that".

                

A self-centered prayer is only a monologue; this type of prayer does not bring out power. We must have a generous heart and first of all pray for God's kingdom and all people, and then the blessing of the Lord will come. There is no satisfaction if you care only about yourself; however, God will remember your personal needs if you have the heart for the kingdom. This is what the Lord said in Matthew 6:33 "And seek first God's kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Paul mentioned several aspects of prayer:

                

First: Prayer. This type is to pray, bringing people's needs before God. Not just praying for the people's physical needs and their situations, it's also praying for the saving the human souls. We need to bring before the Lord the needs of the body, mind and soul.

  

Second: Intercession. This type is warfare prayer. The meaning of intercession is to go between, standing in the middle of the gaps, wherever they are, to pray for people of all nations. Ask God to bind all work of the enemies, let the Spirit of God move freely.

   

Third: Thanksgiving. This is thanksgiving prayer. Prayer walk in one such type, bless your family, community, and even bless the people who persecute you. The bible says, "Bless and do not curse." The targets of blessing include people of all nations; ask God to bring all nations to the Lord soon, just as the bible says, "This temple will become the temple of prayers for people of all nations." Ask God to help us learn to pray for all people in our daily lives.

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Lord, we ask you to remind us again, not just praying for our own needs, but also praying for people of all nations. Beginning from ourselves, to the families, communities, churches and this world; ask the spirit of the Lord to teach us. We give thanks and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!


 

                                                                                           

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Today's Passage - 1 Timothy 1:19-20

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

1 Timothy 1:19-20

  

"Holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme."

                

Paul advised Timothy that a person who ministers should hold on to faith and good conscience. A man's conscience is important, since the Spirit can speak to us using this channel, and it is also the moral standards that God puts in the human mind. No matter the place, generation or community, their established laws basically look similar. Kant called them "God's moral laws"; they are the standards that God put in the human mind and are amenable by both the ancient and modern.

                

Paul stressed repeatedly in 1Timothy the need to guard our conscience carefully, that we hold on to a good conscience before both God and men. As said in Proverbs 4:23, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." We'll easily go astray if we overlook, or willingly reject the voice of conscience. Here it mentions the example of "rejecting conscience" of Hymenaeus and Alexander. When Paul was captured in Ephesus, both Hymenaeus and Alexander turned out to bear false witness against him. Not only that, they strongly fought against Paul wherever he went, acting against their conscience. So Paul says to the end they are destroyed at the hands of Satan.

                

Do you come before God with a good conscience? Ask God's spirit to shine upon us! David's prayer in Psalm 139, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Once I wrote a letter to a brother, mentioning I have already done something that in fact I have yet to do. That night I came before the Lord in quiet and asked God to check my heart, the Spirit shone upon me, recalling the untruthful thing that I mentioned in the letter. Praise the Lord, that letter wasn't sent; I immediately got it back to rewrite it. Have you asked the Spirit of God to shine upon you today? We need to bring our daily lives before the Lord, when the light of the spirit of God shines, let us confess our sins; ask the Lord's precious blood to cleanse us.

                

Pray with Pastor Tong     

    

Dear Lord, we ask the Holy Spirit to shine upon us, expose any thoughts, ideas and behaviors that do not please you. We ask you to give us a brave heart, confess our weaknesses, and right ourselves to please you. We give thanks and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!