Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Daily Devotion

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

John 3:31-33

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.

John the Baptist truly understands his identity. He clearly knows that he belongs to the earth. The words that he speaks are from the earth. However, his mission is that through his earthly flesh, voice, and service, he can witness to the things of heaven. Conversely, Jesus Christ is God above all. He is from heaven. He is the Messiah that God prepared for humans. And he is the only hope and answer for humankind. For John the Baptist, his whole life is to witness that Jesus is the Messiah whom God promised in the Old Testament.

Yet, the people in the world have two different kinds of response to the witness of John the Baptist. The first response is the one who does not believe, which is to reject receiving Jesus Christ as Lord. Until today, many Jews still do not accept Jesus is the Messiah that God promised in the Old Testament times. Because they do not receive this witness, they can't enjoy the joy of salvation from God. The other kind of response is the one who receives. The one who receives is like something marked by a stamp which represents a sense of belonging. This is like the first page of a book being stamped "Pastor Tong's book". When I stamp a book with the "Pastor Tong's book" stamp, it represents that this book belongs to me.

When we receive Jesus to be our Savior, it is like the Holy Spirit stamps a mark in our life, to represent that we belong to God. This is why John 1:12 says: "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." When Jesus is outside knocking on the door of your life, and you open the door to see Jesus, and welcome him to come into every area of your life to be the Lord, this is what it means to believe. It is because those who receive him are those who believe in his name. And he gives them the right to become children of God.

While we are living on earth, we are God's witnesses. We should witness that Jesus Christ is the Lord, he is the Messiah, he is the Lord who changed our life, and the true God who can bring hope to all humankind. May we faithfully witness for the Lord. Maybe there will be some people who reject the gospel. Maybe there will be some people who receive the gospel. Regardless of the response, we give the results to God. And may God spread the gospel through us to the ends of the earth.

Pray with Pastor Tong

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Dear Lord, I thank you. Even though I am not worthy, but you chose me to co-work with you. When I meet people who reject the gospel, may you let me not give up and continue to pray for them, until their hearts turn to you. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!