Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 7: 30-37   On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, " If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."   Jesus revealed  the profound thirstiness in human hearts.  We can search for those materialistic things that would satisfy us or even search for  the " laws and religion" like the Pharisees in those days for satisfaction.  But in reality,  none of these can satisfy our inner needs.  Often times we long for good human relationships and companionships, but instead we   experienced unfulfilled , broken relationships instead.  Although we tried our best to protect and mend such situation but to no avail.  Sometimes we just want to resolve these crisis facing us, but  ironically crisis arise  one after another in our lives, isn't that true?   For this reason, the author of Ecclesiastes  was searching for  wisdom, blessings, prestige as well as the fruits of his labor,  but in the end  he could only conclude that everything is meaningless and utterly meaningless  .  Sometimes, even Christians are of no exceptions,  experiencing little  vitality in life,  little strength in serving, and low in spirit!  This was why Jesus said, "Come to me  those who are thirsty." Jesus is longing to draw  us to Him, because He is the only one who would satisfy our spiritual needs, and His is also the  one we are searching for in our lives.   Brothers and sisters,  are you feeling thirsty in your lives ?  People often like to explore their own ways before  coming to  our God.  We have overlooked that God is the only one that fills the needs deep inside our hearts.  It is only in His presence,  can  we receive His bountiful fullness.  Our lives is meaningful  with directions  when we are living in His presence. May God help us so that we may return to Him now, because the Lord has truly told us, " Come to me those who are thirsty."  Is your life withering?  Jesus is going to give you the water of life!                          Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, we thank  You  for You are the only hope and  fulfillment in our lives.  We pray that we come to understand  this truth and welcome your sovereignty in  our lives so that  your living water may flow abundantly.  With thanks we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 7: 19-29   Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?" "You are demon-possessed," the crowd answered. "Who is trying to kill you?" Jesus said to them, "I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man's whole body on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.".......                  The Lord Jesus argued with the Jewish leaders about keeping the law. Jewish leaders at the time favored the law, but the law instead became their stumbling blocks. In the bible the Lord tells us very clearly that the law hangs on Christ; in other words, the real purpose of the law is to bring the human hearts before Jesus Christ. There is this so-called "legalism" when we emphasized the law over bringing the human hearts before God.                  The Jews at that time saw Jesus healing the sick on the Sabbath; they felt healing the sick on Sabbath were impermissible, while ignoring Jesus Christ is actually the Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus healed the sick on Sabbath such that people can find real peace that really is the will of God. Today you observe the Sabbath; even if you do nothing on the outside but inside your mind are frantic; unable to rest, then you really have not observed the Sabbath.                 Therefore it is not the law that is important, rather it is where the law will lead us. Maybe now we no longer comply with the law of the Jews in the past, but it is undeniable that we often have the so-called "traditions" in our areas of church and personal lives. We often stick to these traditions, so that when someone would not comply with our traditions, we would give them strange looks, even passing criticism and judgments. May God help us to soften our hearts, humble our spirits, let us realize what matter most is not tradition, but whether or not the human hearts are being brought before God.                  The house of God is like a great garden blossoming with all sorts of colorful flowers. Ask God to give us a broad mind to accept His work around the world, and pray that our hearts would come to Christ instead of our traditions. We can bond with the other believers once you do that!                            Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, thank you, because by your words we have a broad mind. Lord we pray you help us value our relationship with you more than our traditions. May the Lord lead us and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 7: 10-18   ..... Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him."                  Seeking God's will is one of the most perplexing things in Christian living, but the Lord Jesus tells us clearly in verse 17 that anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether this teaching comes from God or whether they speak on their own. We often use our own methods to seek God's will, such as, many people teach us we need to pray to seek God's will, yet the more we pray the more we get confused. Someone say we need to read God's words, yet it seems today God is calling him after reading this verse, then it does not seem so after reading another verse tomorrow! Someone say you need to consult the spiritual elders, but after talking with them some would feel this way while the others would not think so.                  The Lord clearly tells us, although praying, reading the bible and consulting the spiritual elders are important, it is more important whether we have the right mind? When Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on the throne in a vision, he heard the Lord's calling: "Who can I send? Who will go for us?" Isaiah answered the Lord right away: "Lord, I'm here, please send me!" When Isaiah said those words, neither he knew God's plan for him nor where God would send him. He just offered himself first, when he had such aspirations, God then revealed to him the mind of God.                  Many times we feel unable to go and follow the will of God; and the main reason is our minds have yet been adjusted. We often tell the Lord: "Lord, tell us your plan! After thinking it over then we'll decide if we want to follow."  Praying, reading bibles and seeking elders' guidance would not help us because we are in bondage of our own thoughts. Brothers and sisters, if you want to know the will of God, the first thing is to set your mind to follow the will of God, once you have this mind-set, the will of God will reveal before you!                            Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, we pray that you open our hearts, willing to listen for your voices and to obey your words. Give us the mind to choose to follow such that we know your will in our everyday lives. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 7: 1-9   After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." For even his own brothers did not believe in him.....                  The main reason Jesus only worked in Galilee, but not in Judea, was that people there did not believe. It's not only the Jews did not believe him, even Jesus' brothers did not believe him, they even said to him: "No one who wants to become a public figure stays in this small town, you should go to the land of Judea! Go to Jerusalem to become a public figure!" Jesus' brothers teased him because they did not believe He is the Messiah.                  Faith is the very important element in our belief. Hebrews 11:6 mentions that anyone who comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Many Christians stay stuck at "believe that he exists" but the Hebrews author tells us that we must believe he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Anyone who has this genuine faith and who believes that he rewards those who earnestly seek him, faith brings result and we receive the fruits of our faithful prayers.                  Many Christians want to gain God's favors yet they neglect to come before God by faith. Therefore II Cor. 5:7 reminds us that Christians live by faith, not by sight. Too often we act by sight in our planning, our living and our serving such that our ministries are not blessed by God; there are no signs and miracles in our lives, because we did not rely on the word of God by faith to boldly move forward.  If we by faith truly rely on God's words and boldly move forward, you will see God parting the Jordan River for you and you will walk on dry land!                         Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, we pray that you will give us this faith, let us rely on your words to march forward, we shall then see your grace and abundance before us as you prepare a table for us. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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Daily Devotion

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!

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Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 6:52-59   Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"  Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them...   Many people don't quite understand this Bible passage. By reading only this passage, they may feel that the Bible is very scary. Jesus said, "For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink". This led the Romans to think that Christianity is a religion of barbaric savages. Thus, they persecuted the early church. However, if you look at the context of chapter 6, you will understand that Jesus Christ was speaking of the heavenly spiritual things. He was using eating and drinking as a metaphor. When you eat and drink, the food becomes a part of your body. In other words, these two things can be connected together. This is the meaning of Holy Communion: to be joined with the Lord.    When we eat the body of the Lord and drink the cup of the Lord, we are joined with the life of the Lord. We always long to be with the Lord and long for the Lord to abide in us.  But, how can we always abide in the Lord? The secret is to always take part in the Lord's body. The Lord's body was broken for us, so that we can have a relationship with the Heavenly Father. Similarly, we need to learn the lessons of denying ourselves and putting off the old self. So that through our self-denial, the people around us can be blessed by God and have a relationship with God.   Not only are we to take part in the Lord's body, but we are also to take part in the Lord's precious blood. The Lord's precious blood is shed for us, to cover over all our sins. Today, we should always pray for the light of God's Spirit to shine on us and ask for the Lord's precious blood to cleanse the darkness inside us. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. When daily we can take part in the Lord's body and the Lord's precious blood, then we will abide in the Lord and the Lord will abide in us.                          Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, please let me know how to deny myself and take up the cross daily to follow you. When I come to seek your face, you will always abide in me, and I will always abide in you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

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