Today's Passage - Matthew 14:16-21

Matthew 14:16-21   Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.  "Bring them here to me," he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Verse 16 says, "You give them something to eat." This is the Lord's command to the disciples. Why did he say that? John 6:6 explains that the reason the Lord said that was to test disciples. The Lord wanted to test disciples on the lesson of obedience. Can we still have faith, not based on what we are seeing, but by being obedient to God's command in situations where people all think it is impossible, and to put forth what we have for Him to use? If so, God can use what we presented and turn them into miracles.   God asked Abraham to bring Isaac to Mt Moriah because God wanted to test Abraham. God allowed Israelis to wander in the desert for forty year to test them as well. Today, we need to have keen sense to God's test. When God place us at a junction of our lives, we won't be able to see the road ahead. It is imperative that we fixate on God. We should go forward without fear following God's will based on faith, not what we see. You will find that after turning a corner, God's abundant supplies are right in front of you. In this miracle, we see that God is indeed abundant. Even the leftover are twelve baskets. If you ask me how to turn five loaves of bread and two fish into twelve basketfuls, I can only say that I do not know. But what I know is that to have twelve baskets full of leftovers, we need to put forth five loaves of bread and two fish to God.   What is your five loaves of bread and two fish? Sometimes you feel that's all you have, and how could the Lord take them away?  We don't understand that God may actually be testing us. Do you want to have a life full of miracles? Start learning to live a life of faith today! May we be sensitive to God's test in our daily lives and respond with faith. Let us lean on God closely and be obedient to His word so that we will experience miracles!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Lord, we thank you, because you are a God of miracles. May the Lord help us so that we live our daily lives by faith and not by what we see. Believing in seeing results in death; faith, however, saves. May the Spirit of God lift us up so that we can follow God's guidance in our daily lives on matters big and small, and live a glorious life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!          Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Matthew 14:13-16

Matthew 14:13-16 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food."  Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." When you are tired, what will you do? Maybe nothing, just want to be alone and rest. Similarly, the Lord felt very sad upon hearing the news of the killing of John the Baptist. He was about to bring disciples to a solitary place to rest. But when people saw them, many went to place before them. If you had seen this scene, you would have probably been unhappy. But the reaction of Jesus was a surprise to many. He saw the multitude, and had pity on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.   Why we describe the condition of people as sheep without a shepherd? First, people are easily lost, unable to find the meaning and direction of life. The young say, 'we are the lost generation'. When they reach middle age, they then have mid-life crisis. Even after working hard for half of their lives, they suddenly realized that what they had worked so far for has lost all meaning. Once again, we ask the same question we asked when we were young, "What am I living for?" Middle aged people started to buy red race car, to try extramarital affair. In the end, it is the result of our losing spirits in our hearts. Old people don't fare much better either. I once had a talk with an old man. I asked him, "How are you?" He said, "What's good? I am a third class citizen in the United State. Every day I eat, sleep, and wait to die." Then I understand that old people can be lost just like young people. No wonder Jesus says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Because people are in a state of lost.      Moreover, people are afraid, having no security. When we face the unknown future, we develop an unknown fear. We try everything to exchange for a sense of security. But in our hearts, we don't have peace. Fear is the most common type of bondage in our hearts. Because of fear, we can't have the real joy. Are you in the condition of lost, fear, and unhappiness? Let me tell you a good news: the Lord is your shepherd. His mercy will be bestowed upon you today.    Pray with Pastor Tong Lord, we thank you because you are our shepherd. You've seen who we really are, but instead of getting away from us, you have mercy on us. We went astray in the past and we had no peace or happiness. Today, may your mercy come upon us, and let us follow you in our daily lives. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!            Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Matthew 14:1-12

Matthew 14:1-12 ...Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison.His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.     It's sad that Herod killed John the Baptist. Herod liked John, liked to listen to John's teaching, revered him and wanted to protect him. But did Herod suddenly kill John?  There were a few reasons. First, Herod preferred pleasure over spiritual matters.  As such, when he was pleased by the dance of daughter of Herodias, he wrote her a blank check: anything she wanted, even half of the kingdom. Second, he preferred saving his own face over spiritual matters. When the daughter of Herodias asked for the head of John, Herod was surprised. I believe that he had a great struggle with himself. He knew that John is a righteous person. However, what was spoken has been spoken. The dinner guests were witnessing as well. Under double pressures, he killed John in the end. I felt sad every time I read this story. Indeed, King Herod was eager for John's teaching. Why would he do things against his heart? Because he didn't put spiritual matter over all other things. Brothers and sisters, do not overlook this matter. If you have not put the Lord as the head of your life, your life will drift away with this world. It's not your intention, but your hand will be forced, and you will have no choice. But was it really that unavoidable? I don't think so. The primary reason was he didn't put the Lord first in his life. It's like Lot gradually moved his tent from the plain of Jordan to Sodom. From people's perspective, it is natural to move to big cities. But the real reason was he did not put the Lord first in his life. What's your situation? What's the Lord's place in your life? May God guard your heart and mind so that you will always be in Him.      Pray with Pastor Tong Lord, may you help us to be sure that you are the master of our lives. In the name of the Lord, break all obstacles so that our hearts and minds can be taken back again. May you reign in our lives. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!          Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Matthew 13:53-58

Matthew 13:53-58   When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.    Nazareth is the hometown of Jesus, yet Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. The main reason of their lack of faith is because they watched Jesus grew up from childhood, therefore couldn't believe that he has such wisdom and miraculous powers. So they took offense at him and despised him. Isn't it true that many times you and I are despised when we try to serve? Isn't this person just put his faith in Christ? Isn't this person used to be so weak in his faith? If we are in Christ, we are a new creation, and in Christ we have received new power and new strength. But others often judge us from the outside and hence despise us. Maybe we are discouraged by these, but Jesus was not discouraged.   Jesus was facing the rejection of his fellow townsfolk, but He did not stop there. In John 9:4 the Lord says that "as long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work." Clearly Jesus understood the mission that God has entrusted to Him. He saw the urgency of His mission and understood that He needs to do all it takes to complete the works of God. Today, are we able to disregard all the rejections from others for the sake of His works?             Now is the time of end time harvest, and the Spirit of God is moving in all the world. We have also seen that many around us are hunger and willing to come know God, but there is no one to share the gospel with them because none has offered to be used by God. May the Spirit of God help us to see the urgency of the needs of this world, and we will not be bind by criticisms, judgments, and attacks. Instead we will break through all these bondages and united in building a glorious church and co-work with Him in His kingdom. May the Spirit of God help us not to be hindered by our wounds from the past, but to overcome these wounds and enter into His glorious work.   Pray with Pastor Tong   Dear Lord, I thank you, for You were despised when You were on earth. We bring all our wounds from being denied and rejected to Your cross. Lord, as You have taken on our pain and sufferings, we ask that you deliver us from all our wounds.  Let us follow Your example and keep moving forward. I pray all these in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!           Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Matthew 13:47-52

Matthew 13:47-52   "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 'Have you understood all these things?' Jesus asked. 'Yes,' they replied. He said to them, 'Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.'"             At the end of a series of teaching, Jesus said that "therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasurers as well as old." Teacher of the law are people that understand the Old Testament commandments and live under that system. When they heard the kingdom of heaven that Jesus was preaching about, they received it and long for its realization. But at the same time they face a big struggle in the renewing of their live, which is applying the old concepts to the new things that they are learning. The teacher of the law hold on to the old stuffs while receiving the new stuffs, which cannot coexist.             When we don't allow our past to pass, the new things from God cannot be manifested in our lives. This is particularly true in ministry, where many times new ministry cannot be done in church because of the old. Once a pastor felt that the position of piano and keyboard is not good and hence switch their position. A week later, an elderly member of the church came to him and told him that last week service was not so good, because he cannot focus on worship after he noted that piano and keyboard are not in their usual place.             Old habits hinder us from entering new ministry, because we are more used to the old one, which make it difficult for us to accept the new one. Even in our lives, old habits always stop us from moving forward. When we allow the things from the past to influence us, it is difficult for us to experience the triumph in Him. Bible says that "if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here."  The old can be gone only if we are willing to let go. The Lord has broken all bondages of darkness from us through His work on the cross, regardless the bondage is from our family or environment. We need to let go in order to experience the life of a new creation. May the Lord help us, that we could learn how to be a new creation in Christ, not letting the old things to entangle us. Dear brothers and sisters, are there things that entangle you? Are you willing to hand these things to the Lord today?   Pray with Pastor Tong   Dear Lord, may You soften our hearts. In the mighty name of Jesus, I break all the yokes that are upon us, may You come and free us so that we could enter the lifestyle of a new creation. I pray all these in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!           Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Matthew 13:44-46

Matthew 13:44-46   "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."   In the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl, the kingdom of God is worthy of pursuing regardless of costs. The kingdom of God is being described as like hidden treasure, which is not very attractive from the surface. If we tell others that believing in Jesus will make them rich and successful when sharing the gospel, many will come to Jesus, but the "gospel" that they heard is not about the kingdom of God. The real gospel is, "whoever want to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me". This expression of gospel could easily drive people away from the gospel. The preciousness of the kingdom of God is the wisdom, joy, and satisfactions that come from obeying God. This is why Jesus said, "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." If we were to receive the hidden treasure, we need to follow Christ and allow God's will to be done on us without any hindrance.   When we offer ourselves to God, miracles will start to happen in our lives, just like the disciples. In the miracles of five loaves and two fishes, what the child offered is nothing compares to the need, but Jesus did a miracle from those offerings simply because those were offered to the Lord. Once a minister who was used greatly by God in China prayed with another brother that God would rise up a generation that would consecrate themselves and willing to be used by God. But then the Holy Spirit spoke to him, "You are one of those I will use," and that shocked him. He said to himself, I was merely praying that others would be used, not me. But the Holy Spirit asked him, "if you are not willing, who else would?" Dear brothers and sisters, let us not just pray for others; let us pray for ourselves as well. Pray that God will revive you, then commit your lives to our almighty God and participate in the expansion of His kingdom.   The purpose of us being in this world is not so that we could be separated from the world; it is to establish His kingdom through us who believe. That is why in the Lord's Prayer: May Your kingdom come, May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. How can the will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven? It can only be done through our submission to Him, so that He can use us. You can see the beauty of God's kingdom only when you are willing to commit your lives to Him!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Dear Lord, I thank you, for You are such a wonderful savior. May You draw us to follow You each day. Open our eyes to see the preciousness and beauty of Your kingdom, so that we may choose to serve You with our lives. May You receive all the glory. I thank you and pray all these in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!           Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!

Today's Passage - Matthew 13:36-43

Matthew 13:36 - 43   "... The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear."             The kingdom of God and the dominion of darkness coexist in this generation. On the one hand, Christians need to strive to be good witnesses of Christ in this dark world. But on the other hand, the Lord comforts us that even though we face persecutions in our Christian walk and objections in the advancing of His kingdom, one day the world will end and the dominion of darkness will stand before His throne and face judgments. All that follow devils will enter eternal death with the devils, but all that follow the Lord, which are those good seeds, will be gathered and brought to His barn.            The righteous mentioned here does not refer to people doing charitable works but to those who do the will of God. If we obey His word and do His will, we will shine like sun in His kingdom. In other word, although we might face persecutions and temptations as we follow His leadings, but His spirit will lift us up and we will conquer if we remain focus. God is giving us great assurance in this scripture passage - One day we will be with Him, and He will avenge for us and show us that He is righteous and just. Let us glorify His name in reverend awe!   Pray with Pastor Tong   Dear Lord, I thank you, for your word is truly precious.  You want us to be like You in this wicked and dark generation. May You grant us wisdom and strength so that we may overcome all difficulties and be Your glorious witness. I thank you and I pray all these in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!           Shekinah Glory - ROLCC Building Expansion Project - Follow us on our Facebook page!