Today's Passage - Luke 16:27-31

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Luke 16:27-31   He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'  'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'  He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'   The rich man suffered in hell after death, and he wished that his family would not endure the same suffering; therefore, he wanted Lazarus to go back and witness to his family.  If his family saw Lazarus rose from death, they would have to believe God, because resurrection from death is the greatest miracle of all.  Nevertheless, just like how Abraham responded, miracles will not produce a change of heart; miracles may attract people to come before God, but they won't make people turn to God.  We often hear people say, "show me a miracle and I will believe."  Actually, even if they see a miracle, they still won't believer, because they can quickly find many other excuses for not believing.  On the other hand, Abraham's words remind us that it shouldn't take the resurrection of Lazarus to convince anyone, because they already have heard from Moses and prophets to.  Words of God carry power, and they alone have plenty of power to make someone repent and turn back to God.   What kind of power does the word of God carry?  First, God's word can cleanse our hearts, because His word is like a mirror that will let us see our real self.  Second, God's word let us be born again.  The Bible says that "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ."  Word of God can let us have the faith that leads to salvation.  1 Peters 1:24 says that "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever."  Third, word of God will let our spiritual life grow.  When someone becomes a Christian, God will lead the person out from the state of selfishness, and progress to understand God's heart through the word of God.   Do you know that God has given us a way that leads to heaven?  It is the word of God.  Through God's word can understand our eternal savior, and to walk with Him daily.  You can come to depend on Him today, to trust in His word, and to enjoy all of God's grace. Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because you have given us your word so that we can come before you, to know you and to depend on you.  May the Lord give us an open heart, to receive strength from your word in our daily life, and to run towards the heaven with faith.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!