Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: July 2021

Saturday, July 31, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 2:16-18

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

Hebrews 2:16-18

For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Men are ranked above the angels because God did not have a plan to save fallen angels, but he prepared a plan of salvation for men that He created in His image. As such, Jesus came as a men and became a sin offering for us. He experienced the suffering and weakness of men and did not come appearing as a Savior. He was born as a babe in the manger. He went through the growing pains of men so that He could identify with us. He experienced what we experienced in order to save us. How can we have victory in life when we are tested? Because the Lord is with us, we can overcome all testing. When you receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, the Lord has already given you the victory. You need to use this authority to resist the work of the devil.

When we wake up each morning, we need to learn to praise God and bind the work of the devil in the name of Jesus. We should not wait for the devil to attack us. It is like the flu virus. Some people catch the flu virus from someone around them. Especially at home, when you see your children and your spouse down with a flu, you would think "I am definitely next in line". Hence you keep preparing for yourself to catch a flu. When the flu virus comes, you immediately fall sick. So do not wait for the enemy to come attack you each day. If you do, you will fall immediately when the enemy comes. You need to bind the work of the devil each day, in the name of Jesus. When you encounter traffic jam, do not allow your heart to be frustrated. You need to ask God to bind that spirit of frustration in you. When you suffer injustice, do not allow your heart to become bitter, ask God to bind that spirit of bitterness in you so that you will not sin.

The battle that we fight is not of flesh and blood, but a spiritual battle. The key to success in this battle is our knowledge of God's grace and our exercise of the authority given to us by God. The only way to overcome the world is to proactively walk in the way of the Lord. When you do so, the enemy has no way of challenging you or overcoming you. When we walk in the way of the Lord, we can overcome all the attacks of the enemy in our lives. Are you living in difficult times? Come before God and depend on Him. Declare your victory before your enemy and praise the Lord each day. When you lift up the throne of God, the enemy will flee.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because you have given us the authority to be victorious. Help us understand the grace you have in our lives and to know how to exercise this authority, so that we may declare victory over the enemy in our lives each day, rebuke the work of the enemy and also overcome the temptations of the enemy. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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

Friday, July 30, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 2:14-15

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

Hebrews 2:14-15

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

People are often enslaved by the devil because of fear. Fear holds us in bondage in our daily lives. When a person lives in fear, the relationship between God and man is essentially broken. Jesus came to set us free from fear. He died on the cross for us and rose again from the dead so that he can bring the joy of freedom into our lives.

The names of the Lord are all promises to set us free from our fears. God's name is Mighty Counselor and He wants to set us free from the fear of the unknown future and commit the unknown into His hands. When Jesus called Simon, he told him, "You will no longer be called Simon, your name shall be Peter." The name Simon means chaff that is blown around by the wind, but the Lord saw what was ahead of him and called him Peter because he will be a rock. The Lord had a plan in Peter's life.

Second, God's name is also the Almighty God, who can release us from the fear of the powers of darkness. When we are held captive by sin, we will be filled with fear and will think that we are so useless. We are stuck in our bad habits and have no ability to overcome them. But the name of the Lord is Almighty God. There is nothing impossible to Him. He can release us from the powers of darkness, so that we may be truly set free. When you call on Him, He will be your strength and your help.

Third, the Lord's name is everlasting Father, and He can release us from our life burdens, worries and fears. Because He is our Father, He will protect and provide for us and will discipline us.

Fourth, the Lord's name is the Prince of Peace and he will set us free from the fear of death. He is the real peace because not only does he grant peace, He is peace Himself. When He dwells in us, He will put peace in our hearts. Are you trapped by fear in your life? Jesus can set you free from all your fears.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I pray for those brothers and sisters who are trapped by fear and darkness in their hearts. In the name of Jesus, I break all these bondages and ask that your grace will come so that we can enjoy the freedom and joy in you. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 2:11-13

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

Hebrews 2:11-13

Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me."

Holiness does not mean that you have a halo over your head, but it refers to living a life that is Christ-like. Our lives can become holy not by our own might, but by depending on God to live each day. No matter how hard we try, we cannot attain God's standard of holiness. We are considered holy only because of Jesus and the life that comes from God. A person's holiness can only start by recognizing God's holiness. If a person does not know God's holiness, he or she may think that they are holy, but fail to recognize their own darkness. Those in the dark will only realize how much they are in darkness when they see the light, and will turn to God to seek the light.

Pastor Edward Miller's father was a pastor as well. He was pasturing a small church in Argentina when the revival was going on. When he heard that revival had broken out and hundreds of thousands of people were going to hear an evangelist speak, he was very curious. He went with a few of his pastors to see what this evangelist was doing. He arrived early at the meeting place and wanted to find out was tools they were using to cause people to cry out in repentance because for the past years in Argentina, no one was repenting and the church was deserted. On that day, they were sitting in the front row to see what tricks the speaker was going to perform. When the evangelist spoke, everything was normal. He spoke about how Jesus died on the cross for the sins of men and called those who acknowledge that they are sinners to come before God so that they can be cleansed. When Edward Miller's dad heard that, he started crying and walked up front, but the other two pastors held on to him and said, "This call is not for you, but for sinners. You are a pastor." However, tears continued to flow out of his eyes and he said, "This call is for me, because I am a sinner."

When a person recognizes God holiness, he will come before God to ask for mercy and repent and turn towards God. If we do not come before God, we do not recognize our sins and may think that we are pretty good. When we come to God and see His holiness, we would realize how much we need salvation. We need God's mercy not only during salvation, but we also need to come before God each day to ask for mercy and ask Him to cleanse us of our sins. Do you long to be like Jesus? You need to continue to know this holy God and welcome His work in your life, because you are not holy on your own, but only through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I ask that your Holy Spirit once again enlighten us, so that we may see the darkness and sin within us. Help us to turn back to you, to seek your grace and allow your mercy and forgiveness to come to us so that we may have true peace and joy. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 2:9-10

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

Hebrews 2:9-10

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.

Why does it say here that Jesus "was made lower than the angels?" Actually, later on it also says that it was only "for a little while." When the Word incarnated and became Jesus, He took on the form of a servant, and came to the world as a man. Therefore, He became lower than angels and had to identify with all the sufferings that human beings would experience. Nevertheless, when the Lord resurrected from death, God lifted Jesus to heaven to sit on the throne that rules all things. He's the Lord of the universe and all angels will worship Him.

There are two important truths here. First, the suffering of the Lord will lead us in to the glory of God. Even though we are sinners who are not worthy of His grace, we became believers of the first fruits because the salvation of Jesus Christ and His resurrection. If the first fruit is sweet, all subsequent fruits will be sweet; if the first fruit is sour, the subsequent fruits will be sour too. Jesus Christ was our first fruit, for He die and rose again for us, and was victorious against the authority of death. In the same way, in Him we also have same power to overcome all the authorities of the darkness and sin. That's why the Lord suffered with us and led us enter His glory - Because He went from suffering to glory, those who believe in Him can also enter into glory with Him.

Next, We may enter into glory so that the Lord's work may be completed. Salvation of Jesus Christ doesn't require us to do more or less of anything, because on the cross the Lord said "it is finished" before He passed away. This means that all the work has been done. Every brother and sister who believes in the Lord are included in God's eternal plan, and we may enter into His glory through our faith, sanctification and redemption. This is all part of God's eternal plan - From the perspective of Father God, salvation is completed only after we receive His grace. Lord Jesus completed plan of salvation for us, and part of it is for the Holy Spirit came into our hearts to perfect salvation. Lord could have completed salvation by Himself, but He wanted us to take part of his plan to explicitly accepting His grace.

When we come before God, it's like a child playing a game with daddy. Daddy has prepared everything, and the child only needs to kick the ball into the goal. Once the ball reached the goal, daddy shouts "Great job! We won!" In the same way, God's grace is ready for us, so all we need to do is to receive it, and the entire plan of salvation will be completed. May God help us to trust in Him!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because your salvation is truly precious. We thank you for your grace, and help us to obey you in our daily life. Let us follow your will to complete your plan of salvation in our life. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

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

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 2:5-8

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

Hebrews 2:5-8

It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor and put everything under their feet."In putting everything under them,God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them.

This passage says that we were made "little lower than the angels." The "lower" here is actually temporary, because at the time work of Jesus Christ has not been completed. As soon as Christ's work has completed, angels became spirits that served the believers. We have a honorable role before God; even though we are tiny compared to God, but like the psalmist said, "what is mankind that you are mindful of them." Human beings, however, sometimes think we are so great and we deserve to receive all the grace from God. We even get mad if God delays responding to our prayer. If it wasn't for God's mercy and grace, how can we ever stand before Him?

When I lived in the East Coast, I would bring friends to visit World Trade Center in NYC. When we stood on the 107th floor and look down, even trucks that seemed huge on the ground looked like little matchboxes. Imagine what our Lord the Creator sees from His eyes - We must look so tiny and unworthy! No wonder in the Bible says that Jacob was characterized as a worm, and in Psalms David calls himself less than a dead dog. When we come before God and see our nature, we will surely be humbled. Bible says that God has chosen the weak in order to make the strong ashamed and He has chosen the poor to make the rich ashamed. Actually, are there anyone in the world who's strong? Not really, there are only those who think they are strong.

When we realize how tiny and weak we are but yet God is so willing to care for us, we must give thanks to God from the bottom of our hearts. As soon as we understand the grace that God has given us, we must turn back to God and give thanks to Him. Not only has God been so graceful to us through His redemption, He also elevated us to become His children. He even made the angels spirits that serve us. This is such a privilege and grace, so we must give thanks to God!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because you has given us such tremendous grace. You allow us to become your children, and we also experience help and protection from the angels in our daily life. We give thanks and we want to rely on you each and every day. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

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