Today's Passage - John 6:60-71

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 6:60-71   ...The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you-they are full of the Spirit and life....   In the past, we often separate the word of the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord, and the life of the Lord. As a result, in the history of the Chinese church, different denominations have different emphasis, like a three horse carriage running in separate directions. The Evangelicals have always emphasized the word of God. That's why the Evangelicals have many great theological thoughts. The Local church very much emphasized the life of the Lord. That's why Watchman Nee once wrote that the spiritual life comes out from a person's brokenness. The Charismatics emphasized more on the Holy Spirit. That's why there are more signs and wonders and many spiritual gifts being practiced. However here, the Lord clearly said: "The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you-they are full of the Spirit and life." His word is Spirit and is life. These 3 aspects cannot be separated.   The word of the Lord is the foundation for our faith and daily living. If we leave the word of the Lord, then there is no basis for the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is not possible to have a true standard for holy living. We need the Lord's word and God's Spirit to work together to let the Lord's word be the standard for living a holy life and let God's Spirit move in our midst in to fulfill the life of the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord is also the power source for our life. If we leave the Holy Spirit, the Lord's word is just like words on a piece of paper. Only the Holy Spirit could help us enter into the truth. If there's not the Holy Spirit, then holy living will also lack power. If there's no light from the Holy Spirit to shine on us, we are like sweeping a dark house without any lights, and not knowing our own sins. Only the Spirit of the Lord can help us live a holy life.    The life of the Lord is the light of people's heart and spirit. This is the ultimate will of God for the Christian: to be more like Jesus Christ. If a person does not have the life of the Lord, then the Lord's word is like a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal which lacks testimony.  If a person does not have the life of the Lord, then the Holy Spirit's work will just be like external bustling activities, but people cannot see the true change.  We need the life of the Lord to testify to the power of the word of the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the life of the Lord is the connection between the word of the Lord and the work of the Holy Spirit. The three cannot be separated. We need to welcome the word of the Lord, welcome the Spirit of the Lord, and welcome the life of the Lord.                          Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, may you open wide my heart and spirit, let me come before you and receive help from your word, your Spirit, and your life. Let me in my daily life testify to your glorious and holy name. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!