Today's Passage - Col 1:6-8

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Colossians 1:6-8   ...that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.   The Colossian church has set wonderful example in faith, love and hope.  So why did this church have such great testimony?  We can derive three reasons from this passage: They were willing to listen, and they benefited from listening.  When we want to give someone advice, the worst is when the person doesn't want to listen.  Why is listening so difficult?  Because everyone is self-centered and we think we are always right.  No matter how fiercely you point out someone's problem, the person still may not think he or she has the problem.  Roman 10:17 tells us that faith comes from listening, so faith can be generated from listening to God's Word only when a person is willing to be humble and listen. They were willing to learn.  It is necessary to have an attitude of learning in order to make progress in the way of faith.  We often envy the spiritual giants who are successful in ministry and fruitful in intercession; however, we do not see all the effort they made in learning, the price they paid and tears they shed, and al the failures they experienced.  Chinese people like to save face - preserve their esteem - so we often have a wrong conception about serving: if I cannot be the best, then I shouldn't do it.  The reality is that if you do not even try, how can you be the best?  God has also taught me a lesson: He said that if you do not reach out your hand, if you do not proclaim healing with your mouth, how could you experience the power of healing?  In a spiritual journey, the worst is not to fail and stumble, because failure can teach us to be humble and to follow God's will.  The worst is the lasting failure when we lose the determination to learn! They were willing to bear fruit.  Colossian church is one that can grow and bear fruit.  Fruit doesn't only mean growth in attendance, but also growth in life.  They were able to bear fruit of the spirit, which has the attributes of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, and others could see the beauty of Christ in them.  What is your attitude towards faith?  Are you willing to listen, to learn and to bear fruit?  May God grant us such a determination!     Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I once again humbly come to you and I ask you to open my ears and become one who's willing to listen; give me a submissive heart so that I am willing to learn, and let me learn from failure and paying the price; let me bear fruit in my life, so that I could let the fragrance of your life flow through me.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!