Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 10:6-15-18

2 Corinthians 10:15-18    Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our area of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in another man's territory. But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.    Once again, Paul emphasized the importance of territory. The Lord has a different calling for each one of us. We need to be faithful in the territory God has given us. Our work can only be measured in the territory that God has given us. When God called Abraham to leave Ur to go into a specific land, Abraham was not supposed to stop at any place he wished. The land of Canaan is not better than Ur, but it was the place that God has chosen to bless the Israelites. Abraham obeyed and entered the land and God's blessing came on them and his family multiplied. Afterwards, the Israelites refused to enter the land of Canaan, and hence wandered in the desert for 40 years without accomplishments. Today, many people serve without success or growth because they did not see the territory that God measured out for them. In the church the past years, I have seen many teachers trying to be pastors, many pastors trying to be prophets, and none of these were successful. We need to clearly know where our territories are and obey God's leading to enter that territory so that we may see God's blessings. There was a gang leader in New York who became a Christian in 1985. The Lord saved him from a great crisis and he was released from prison. The Lord called him back into prison ministry full time once he came out from prison. However, he did not want to go back to prison. He wanted to do youth ministry. He wrote hundreds of job application for youth ministry, but had no success. Finally he received a call from a prison warden, inviting him to come speak to the prisoners. When he went, God's Holy Spirit moved mightily and many prisoners came to receive Christ. The news spread and ever prison warden wanted him to go to their prison. Now this man has the greatest prison evangelism ministry. Brothers and sisters, do you understand the territory God has measured out for you? Paul says he will not boast about work already done in another man's territory. He fully understands where his territory is, and how to do God's work within his territory to expand God's kingdom. May God open our eyes to understand our territory, whether in the family or spiritual life or ministry, so that our service may be approved by the Lord. Pray with Pastor Tong Lord, pray that you will open our hearts to understand your will and understand the territory you have given us. I pray especially for those who are discouraged in their ministry. Lord, may you help them understand once again their territory and the scope of their ministry. Lord, may you bless them and cause their ministry to be fruitful. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen! See Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - on Facebook!

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Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 10:6-12-14

2 Corinthians 10:12-14   We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.  We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the field God has assigned to us, a field that reaches even to you.  We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ.     Paul brought up an intriguing concept here, which is that fact that our ministry a like field with limits, or boundaries, that God assigned to each of us.  Such boundary might be geographic, such as our church's boundary is the greater San Jose area which measures about 50 square miles.  It's difficult for us to help anyone who lives beyond this boundary.  That's why God has established many churches, because each church has its unique field that God has assigned to them.   Sometimes the boundary is drawn around cultural traditions.  If you've ever visited an African American church, you'd see that the congregation always echoes with the speaker on the podium with "halleluiah amen!"  Some may not feel comfortable in such churches and they rather worship with those who have similar culture.  The boundary may also be in theology; in Chinese churches, the three branches of traditional academics, local churches and Charismatics seem to be doing their own things, and formed their own boundaries.  These boundaries might not be a bad thing; different people need different things, and these boundaries are formed according to their different needs.  Some boundaries are formed around ministries; some churches focus on missions, some on discipleship training, some on exercise of the spiritual gifts, some on ministry of Sunday school, some on spreading the Gospel, and some on social work.  These are all good things; God gave us different boundaries so that we may come in contact with various groups of people and satisfy different needs.    Once we understand the concept of boundary for churches, we will cease to attack others in the body of Christ.  No church can claim to be perfect, and when we unite with others in Christ we may together manifest the perfection of Christ.  On the other hand, this concept will help us not to compare ourselves with others, but to just focus on doing the work that God has entrusted us, which is the ultimate definition of success.  We don't need to be either too conceited or have low self-esteem about our ministry, because God has given all of us different boundaries and we simply need to be faithful towards what God has entrusted us.  A brother once shared a testimony about how he wanted to serve the Lord after he was released from prison.  He had burden for youth ministry, but no youth fellowship ever invited him to speak, but the prison where he was locked up before asked him to go back and minister there.  Once he served there, God's spirit moved mightily in the prison, then he realized that the boundary God has set for him is not in youth ministry, but rather in prison ministry.   Brothers and sisters, do you know the boundary for ministry that God has set for you?   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we ask that you open our eyes and help us to understand that you have a set a boundary for our life.  Help us to see what our boundary for ministry is, so that we may run with you wholeheartedly for all our life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!        See Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - on Facebook!

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Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 10:6-11

2 Corinthians 10:6-11   And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.  You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he.  For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it...     The Corinthian church often had issues of small groups and quarrels between them.  In 1 Corinthians chapter one, some said they belonged to Peter, some belonged to Apollo, some belonged to Paul, and others claimed to belong to Christ, posed as more spiritual than anyone else.  The result of having small groups and quarrels is that they became suspicious of each of other and attack one another, and there were also people in the church who attacked Paul.  Paul, however, cared more about the needs of the Corinthian church, so he continued to pray for them; in the meantime, he also warned those who did not respect the authority of God's servants.  He told them that when the time was right he would punish all the disobedient ones.  This is an important truth in the Bible - We must respect God's anointed servants.  It's not because they are perfect and blameless, but it's because we respect the anointing on them and the authority that God entrusted them.  Even if they make mistake, we still cannot look down on them.    When King Saul was chasing after David, several times David was hiding in caves when Saul was tired and when into those caves to sleep.  Servants of David told him that it would be the best opportunity to kill Saul, but David said that "The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord."  David understood the importance of spiritual authority.  Even though Saul wanted to kill him, he still respected Saul and didn't dare to hurt him.  Back in the Old Testament time, when Moses married a Cushite woman, Miriam and Aaron were disgruntled, and they talked against Moses, saying that "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? ...Hasn't he also spoken through us?"  God became angry at them, and said "Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"  Miriam later had leprosy.    These historic event taught us that we must respect servants who are anointed by God.  It doesn't mean that God doesn't discipline His servants, but God will use His own way to punish them.  We cannot punish God's servants in His place.  Corinthian church was not a mature church, so they not only didn't support Paul, they even criticized him, and that's why they were not blessed by God.  Brothers and sisters, do you understand the important of God's anointing on His servants?  Do you respect the shepherds whom God ordained for you and are you constantly praying for them?   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we thank you because you have prepared many shepherds for us on the earth.  We ask that you help us to become prayer warriors for these leaders.  Help us to respect them more and complain less, so that the anointing you've given them can flow freely.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!        See Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - on Facebook!

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Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 10:5

2 Corinthians 10:5   We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.   There are many strongholds in our hearts that occupy various areas of our lives.  The "arguments" Paul mentioned in verse 5 refers to our mind and thoughts, and "pretention" means the pride in our hearts, or our feelings; finally, he said that we'll "take captive of every thought," which is our will.  In other word, strongholds can take place in our thoughts, feelings and will, which make up our soul, and the devil always attacks us in these three areas.    First of all, devil Satan often deceives our thoughts.  The Bible says that the devil is the father of all lies.  Satan often deceives the non-believers, making them feel that God doesn't love them.  Therefore, many Chinese do not believe in Jesus, because they think after they accept Jesus they will not be able to worship their ancestors, which contradicts with Chinese traditions.  Actually, that is not the teaching of the Bible at all, because Bible takes honoring ancestors very seriously.  The Israelites address God as the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."  This shows that they respect the faith of their ancestors.  It's not that Christianity values respect for ancestors, but many have devil's stronghold in their thoughts, which caused them not able to accept Jesus Christ.    Next, in our feelings, Satan likes to build a Tower of Babel inside us based on our pride and self-centeredness.  People use any conceivable way to satisfy the old-self deep down inside us, and that's why Bible says: "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace."    Third, in our will, Satan often attacks us through the circumstance.  Circumstance of hardship can easily waver our will.  We might be able to defend against one or two difficulties, but we can be defeated by repeated attacks.  When John the Baptist was imprisoned, at first he said that "He must become greater; I must become less."  After a while, however, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus: "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"  Apparently, continued hardship can wear down our will.  Accusation from the enemy, on the other hand, can also waver our will.  Our hearts can be shaken by repeated accusations by the enemy and cause us not to follow the Lord.   Are there strongholds inside you?  May the Holy Spirit shine into your hearts and cleanse you, and in the name of the Lord we shall defend all the work of the enemy!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Jesus, I thank you because you have given us the secret to winning the spiritual warfare.  I ask that you open our eyes so that we can see the tricks of the enemy, and to rebuke all the work of the enemy by the power of God.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!      See Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - on Facebook!

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Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 10:4

2 Corinthians 10:4   The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.   Since we are not fighting a physical war, we cannot rely on our own strength to overcome the temptations and attacks from the devil.  In the Old Testament time, before David confronted Goliath in battle, King Saul called him in and wanted to give his armor to David, but David couldn't even walk when wearing it.  King Saul had good intention, but he didn't understand what was spiritual warfare, and he thought it was a war of swords and spears.  David, however, understood the nature of spiritual warfare, therefore he knew how to engage spiritual authority in winning the battle.  He said to Goliath: "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty."  What was the weapon for our spiritual warfare?  Paul said that it's "divine power."    There are several aspects to divine power.  First, it's the power of worship.  The most important ministry of ours before God is to worship.  Worshipping not only brings our heart and soul before God, we also lift His throne high.  Psalm 22:3 says: "Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel."  When we worship, we are lifting the Lord's throne high; when His throne is lifted high, devil Satan will flee, therefore the foundation of spiritual warfare should be worship.  Next, it's the power of prayer.  Praying during a spiritual warfare is a weapon in our hands for attaching the enemy.  Lord Jesus said in Matthew 16:19 that "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven."  The "you" is the church represented by Peter, and then Lord said that "whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  Through prayer, we can bound the enemy on earth, and release the hearts of people into freedom.  Third, it's the power of God's Word.  The Bible says that every word of God carries power, and once it's spoken it will never be taken back.  If we want to overcome the enemy, we must stand on the foundation of God's promises.  We must believe God's word exactly as it's said.  We can overcome all the deceits and accusations from the enemy when we hold on the God's promises as our shield.  When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness, each time He used God's word to defeat the enemy.  He didn't try to find a Bible, then look up some scripture passage, but He simply used God's word to defeat the devil's temptations.     Brothers and sisters, what are the areas that are in spiritual warfare?  May the Lord help you and give you His power to overcome all the tricks of the enemy!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord Jesus, I thank you because you are already sitting on the throne and you have overcome all the deeds of the devil.  May the Holy Spirit come and teach us to defeats the tricks of the devil through worship, prayer and depending on your word.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!   See Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - on Facebook!

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Today's Passage - 2 Corinthians 10:1-3

2 Corinthians 10:1-3     By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you - I, Paul, who am "timid" when face to face with you, but "bold" when away!  I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world.  For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.         Today, believers are not confronting warfare with the physical world, but rather with the spiritual world.  Spiritual warfare is taking place inside us daily.  Devil is trying all kinds of ploys to destroy our relationship with God and make our heart drift away from the Lord.  What happens around us in our daily life is not the actual spiritual battle; the real spiritual battle takes place after these things happen, when we start to complain to God, develop pride or judge others in our mind.  For example, if your car stalls on the highway, this event is not a spiritual   battle, because it might just be that you haven't maintained it well.  After the car stalled, however, if you start complaining again God, then a spiritual battle is taking place.  That's why Paul said here that "we do not wage war as the world does."  If you are fighting a war with the world, then we can engage our own strength and weapon.  If we are, however, fight a war in the spiritual realm, then we must count on God to overcome the ploys of the enemy.      Many Christians do not understand that spiritual warfare is something real, and they don't know how to depend on God to fight the enemy.  It is like a soldier fighting a war in the frontline with bullets raining down, but never realizing that he's in a war.  Isn't that a ridiculous situation?  Unfortunately, that's how many believers are being suppressed by the enemy, because they don't know that they have already resurrected with Christ.  We are now sitting on the throne with the Lord, and we have sufficient authority to overcome the devil.  The Bible tells us that we must count on God to engage in spiritual warfare, and we can proclaim victory by working with Him.  The goal of spiritual warfare is not to intimidate us, but it's for us to become more cautious in order to avoid the traps of the enemy.  Brothers and sisters, do you know that you are encountering spiritual warfare?  We must rebuke the devil's ploys by faith, and let the authority of God to manifest again in every part of your life.    Pray with Pastor Tong    Lord, please open our eyes and let us understand that we are now in the midst of a serious spiritual warfare.  In the victorious name of the Lord we proclaim that all the doubts and disobedience in our spirit are now over, and we pray that God will once again rule our lives.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen! See Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - on Facebook!

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