Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: October 2020

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

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

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Paul said that it is God who makes "both us and you stand firm in Christ." We need to understand that we cannot stand firm by ourselves. Although we like to sing, "O God, our hearts are steadfast in you", our flesh is weak. Once troubles come, we are like Peter who would deny Christ three times. Human emotions are fickle, just like Elijah, who was extremely courageous at one point on Mount Carmel when he was rebuking the prophets of Baal, the next minute, he was lying under the broom tree and praying that he would die. A man can never stand firm in Christ on his own. Sometimes we do not understand our own limitations and how fragile we are, but when we obtain the spiritual revelation, we begin to understand that only God can help us to stand firm in Christ.

How can God help us stand firm in Christ? This is through the work of the Holy Spirit. God gives us the Holy Spirit and Paul describes the work of the Holy Spirit, like the seal of ownership on us. It is like a lot of people who put a stamp of ownership on their collection of books at the home. In the same way, the Holy Spirit in us is a seal, representing that you and I belong to God.

Secondly, the seal is also a guarantee, just as the manufacturers who put a stamp on their products guaranteeing their quality. In other words, it is a quality assurance. In the same way, when we have the Holy Spirit in our hearts, He will be at work in our lives, molding and shaping us to be more like Christ. Our spiritual life will inevitably have ups and downs like a roller coaster. The important thing is not the ups and downs, but at the bottom of the track you have the tracks that guide and lead you until you reach the final destination. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in you and me. Hence in Deuteronomy, God says the place He will bring you to will have hills and valleys, up and down, but it is a place that is nourished by the rain, and the eyes of the Lord is upon the land. Brothers and sisters, do not let the enemy deceive you, but rather allow the Spirit of God to flow out of your lives!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you because you give us the Holy Spirit to our lives. I want to pray in particular for the brothers and sisters in our midst who are weak in their faith. You are the God who can strengthen them. We pray that you will open their eyes so they may see the seal of ownership you have on them, and the work you are doing in their lives. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Friday, October 30, 2020

Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 1:15-20

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

2 Corinthians 1:15-20

... For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not "Yes" and "No," but in him it has always been "Yes." For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

"For no matter how many promises God has" do you know how many? Some say more than 5,000, and some say more than 7,000. How many of God's promises do you know and how many have you experienced personally? I have heard of a pastor's testimony in the past. The pastor said every time he reads the Bible and comes across a promise, he would use a red pen to write a T next to it, which means to "Test" or try it. When he actually experiences that promise, he would write another T next to it with a blue pen, which means "True". Soon after, this pastor said, his Bible was not only full of red Ts, but also full of blue Ts.

How much do you value the promises of God? If you really value them, you will take the time to find them and to try them. Just like many people who when they see new restaurants, or new products on television, they will want to try it. Unfortunately, many Christians lack this attitude of treasuring the Word of God. No matter how much they read, they never understand. Even if they memorized it, they would never try to see if God's promises are true.

Many people today have only heard of the truth, but have not yet experienced God's promises? Regardless of the number of promises, they are "Yes" in Christ and they are real. Because God is faithful, He cannot lie; People often lie, because we live in darkness, and want to hide our faults. We also live in fear, afraid of being rejected by others, hence we always put on a mask and pretend to be what we are not. But God is the Father of lights, in his light, there is no darkness and no lies. The promises of God are true, and His words carry power. However, there is one condition, which is being in Christ Jesus. God's promises only come to pass through Jesus; In other words, if apart from Christ, you can do nothing. You may be able to do it yourself, but it is not within the promises of God. No matter how many promises has God made, they are only real in Christ Jesus, so let us experience together how God's promises will come true!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, once again I bring my brothers and sisters before you and ask that you will give them the desire for your Word. Help them not only to read your Word, but to experience your promises as well. May the power of your word be released and may it fill our hearts. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 1:12-14

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

2 Corinthians 1:12-14

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul mentioned the two things that believers can boast of here. First is the grace of God. Paul had many things he could boast above before he was saved. He was circumcised on the eighth day, and he was blameless as a Pharisee. However, when he met Jesus, he said, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ."

What do you have to boast about in your life? Is it your intelligence, your abilities, your wealth or your interpersonal relationships? You may not boast about these things, but in reality, these are the things that cause you to feel self-righteous or self-sufficient, so you do not come to God for help. Paul said he was alive for others. He does not rely on human wisdom, but by the grace of God. What is grace? It is a gift from God, something that we are not worthy of. Paul clearly recognizes that he has come from God. Intelligence? It come from God. Wealth? It comes from God and is the grace of God. In fact, he says there is only one thing in his life that is worth boasting about, that is, Jesus Christ himself. Paul can say: I belong to Jesus, I am proud of it. Brothers and sisters, do you know to boast about the truth of Christ? Once you know the Lord, you will find that what you have held on to in the past is no longer worth boasting about.

Secondly, Paul also boasted about the brothers and sisters in Christ. Why? This is because he sees the work of God in his brothers and sisters. When you are feeling depressed, think about what God has done in the lives of others; do not be jealous over God's grace in someone else's life, but rejoice over it. Every time I see how God restores broken families, refreshes the weak and weary hearts, I would give thanks to God. To see that they can once again stand up before men and before God, that is something worth boasting about. Have you ever boasted of your brothers and sisters in Christ? If so, your relationships will be taken to the next level of intimacy.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, teach me not to boast of myself any longer, that I may only boast in one thing, which is the grace of Christ Jesus. May you teach me how to love my brothers and sisters in Christ, so that we will not compare ourselves to others, but we will learn to boast of one another, so that your life may be manifested in our midst. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 1:11

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

2 Corinthians 1:11

...As you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

When Paul was in trouble, not only did he experience God's salvation, but he also experienced the help of brothers and sisters. Thank God, He has given us many brothers and sisters in the church, so we can help one another and work with one another. Paul clearly understood the truth of helping one another in Christ; When he was on the road to Damascus, a great light flashed around him. He fell to the ground and asked the two most important questions in life. The first one is "Who are you, Lord?" The second is "What shall I do, Lord?" When the Lord answered the first question, He said: "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting." However, God did not answer the second question, but said to him: "Go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. Then the Lord sent Ananias to Paul, to tell him what he is to do.

Why did the Lord himself not answer Paul's question, but chose to do so through Ananias? The main thing the Lord wanted Paul to learn was the principle of helping one another in Christ. If the Lord had answered Paul directly, Paul may never feel the need for other brothers and sisters. He may think "I can call upon the Lord directly, and be responsible to God myself." This may sound very spiritual, but is in fact very prideful.

Each one of us needs the help of others and we need to help one another in Christ. How should we do that? We start with prayer. Do not underestimate the power of prayer, God can use prayers to transform the hearts of men, and even change the fate of a country. We had prayed for many cancer patients in the church in the past. Although the Lord still took them away with him in the end, these patients were very different from others. When they were in the terminal stage of cancer, their faith in God remained strong. One could even say that they were at the height of their spiritual life right before they died, which encourages my heart deeply.

Praying and not praying does make a huge difference and those who have been prayed for are not the same. Praise the Lord, when we see the effects of our prayer, how can we not be grateful? When you hear others testify about how God answered their prayers, that is such a miracle. If you were never one of those who prayed for the person, you may find I hard to understand the testimony. However, if you had prayed for the person, you will shout, "Hallelujah!" Because you know that God heard your prayers, and you will naturally give thanks to God.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you because you gave us brothers and sisters to support us, and for us to help one another, and you also gave us relatives and friends to help us. We pray you will teach us to learn to help others, not to focus only on ourselves, but to pray for those around us, so that we may be a blessing to others. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 1:7-10

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

2 Corinthians 1:7-10

And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us...

A person who has been through suffering can identify with those who are in suffering. Paul said here "our hope for you is firm". When h saw the suffering of brothers and sisters, he was not filled with anger or complain, but filled with a firm hope. This is because he knew that these brothers and sisters who were suffering, would experience the comfort of Christ, just as he did.

Paul himself has been through this experience. When he was persecuted for preaching in Acacia, he was imprisoned and almost put to death. He said they were under great pressure to the point they were despaired even of life. But God is rescued him and his companions, and he experienced the deliverance of God in the midst of suffering, As such, Paul understood what suffering meant, and had firm hope that God could bring comfort in the midst of suffering. Hence, in verse 10 he says "He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us. Verse 10 says, "He has delivered us from such a deadly peril." This refers to the redemption he has paid for us on the cross; "He will deliver us" refers to how our bodies will be transformed into the glorious bodies like the Lord's and we may dwell with Him forevermore. Not only so, God will continue to deliver us from powers of darkness. Have you experienced the shadow of darkness in your life? Sometimes it is the pride and resentment in your heart, sometimes it is the generational curse that is passed down in your family and sometimes it is the persecution in your surroundings. But do not forget that the Lord can save you and me, even if you are caught up in the vicious cycle of sin. When you cry out, the Spirit of God will be able to deliver you and rescue you. Cry out to Him today!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you because you have saved us and we look forward to having you welcome us into your glorious kingdom one day. However, you want to be our Lord and Savior each and every day of our lives, so we pray that your saving grace come upon us today. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website