Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 8:3-5

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Hebrews 8:3-5

Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain."

When God asked Moses to build the tabernacle in the Old Testament, he clearly told Moses to do "according to the pattern shown you on the mountain". This is a very important principle. The second half of Exodus recorded all the things that Moses did to build tabernacle. You will often read "according to the pattern shown on the mountain". It is obvious that Moses was a very obedient person.

"According to the pattern shown on mountain" refers to following revelations that God has put in our hearts. There are two principles: First, those who serve God must come close to Him. God showed Himself to Moses on the top of the mountain after Moses spent forty days and nights fasting, getting close to God. Only after that did God showed Moses the pattern of the tabernacle. You can understand God' will, his revelation in your life only after you have been close to God. This is especially true in today's world, where our lives are way too busy. When we come to God, it is like our youths come to their parents. The only thing they say are: "Hi", "Bye", etc. God can't talk to us even if He wants.

If one wants to receive revelation from God, one must first settle down, come in front of Him. 3-D pictures were once very popular. Looking at it haphazardly, one can not discern anything. Only after one gets close, after fixating on the picture, will one suddenly discover richness inside the picture. Getting close to God is the same. We must get close to the picture, fixate on the picture long enough, and then see the richness. By the same principle, you need to come to God, getting close enough and long enough, and then you will receive revelation and grace.

Second, those who serve God, must obey His revelations. When God reveals to us what He is and His will, God wants us to obey Him. A person who serves God should not do things because it please him, but what pleases God. This is very important. At churches, we often see many people doing what they want to do, trying everything possible to push their own agendas. However, they neglect what God wants them to do. So much so that we do men's work instead of God's work. We labor for God but seldom experience being used by God. May God have mercy on us, such that if our service is meant for other people, let us turn around and come to Him, let us do "according to the pattern shown on the mountain".

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you, for you reminded us again that we should build "according to the pattern shown on the mountain". Please help us getting close to you in our daily lives, rely on you more, and obey Him. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Saturday, September 4, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 8:1-2

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Hebrews 8:1-2

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Jesus is interceding for us before God the Father every day. The Lord's intercession in our lives is so precious, because He knows what we need and understands the Father's will, He can intercede for us effectively, according to the Father's will.

Many years ago, I led a group of youths from our church on a camping trip to Yosemite. I took six youths in the car with me and as I was going down the slopes, I stepped on my brakes so much that I could smell the brakes burning. When I finally got to the campsite, I wanted to check my brakes. Unexpectedly once I started the car, the brakes would not work and the car just started to slide downhill towards the cliff. I thought to myself, "Lord, please save me!" Suddenly there was a loud bang and the car stopped. I climbed out of the car and when I looked out, there were three trees along that slope. One tree was behind my car, one tree to my left and one tree to my right. The whole car was caught in the middle of these trees. It was an unbelievable sight. I was filled with gratitude. When I went back and shared my testimony, a sister told me, "Pastor, when you were taking the youths to Yosemite, God prompted me to wake up to pray for you. I don't know why, but God wanted me to keep praying until He told me to stop." All of a sudden, her burden to pray for me was lifted and she did not know why, but this was how God was prompting her. That time was exactly when the car accident happened. Hallelujah. God was the one who prompted this sister to pray.

God is our intercessor. He also reminds people around us to pray for us. When we are in danger, God causes angels to encamp around us. Do you know that the Lord is interceding for us day and night? You may think that no one remembers you or cares for you, and think that there is no protection around you. Do not forget that Jesus Christ is your high priest. You can come before his throne of grace and depend on His help, and He will guide you with His mighty arms!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you that in our everyday lives you lead us and protect us. Even in difficult times, you use your mighty arms to guide us. You are the high priest who intercedes for us day and night. May the spirit of the Lord open our hearts so that we may rejoice for this great high priest we have in heaven. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Friday, September 3, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 7:26-28

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Hebrews 7:20-25

And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.'" Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

The Old Testament priest and law fore-shadows the work of Jesus Christ. Because men are not perfect, the priest need to cleanse themselves before they can come before God. However, the physical cleaning is only symbolic and cannot cleanse the heart of men. When Jesus Christ came, He was the perfect Savior. When He was on earth, He was the Lamb without blemish and Priest without sin.

We really need to thank God that we live in the New Testament time rather than the Old Testament. Otherwise, we would have had to live according to many rituals. These rituals do not bring salvation, but only point to the One who is to come to complete our salvation - Jesus Christ. Believers in the Old Testament are pitiful. They have never experienced the joy of building up the priesthood or the kingdom of God. Living in the New Testament time, Jesus paid for our sins once and for all by offering up himself to become our sacrifice forevermore. A sacrifice that will last forever - those of us in Christ are indeed blessed.

First, we no longer need to kill and sacrifice like the Old Testament people because Jesus has already become our Passover lamb. People often ask, "During the Old Testament time, there are all these laws to obey. Why do we not have to obey them in the New Testament time? Why are there some laws we have to obey and some that we do not?" The Old Testament law is divided into three types: First is the moral law, such as the ten commandments. Second is the ritualistic law such as offering sacrifices and observing various festivals. Third is the law of society, such as how we treat the poor. The moral laws have to be obeyed. The ritualistic laws have been made complete in Jesus, hence sacrifice is no longer needed and we are no longer required to observe certain festivals. The law of society changes according to culture and customs. We do not abolish the law just because we are in the New Testament. Jesus said He came to fulfill the law not to abolish the law. Hence there are certain laws that need to be obeyed while others that have already been made complete through Christ Jesus.

Furthermore, in the New Testament, as long as we come before the Lord to repent of our sins, we can immediately experience the release. This is the grace that we enjoy in the Lord. Because Jesus has purchased our salvation on the cross and bore our sins, you can come before God without any fear to receive all His blessings. How blessed are we that we can enjoy the completeness of His salvation!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because you have blessed us so much in the New Testament era. Let us come before your throne of grace without any fear. May the Lord be gracious to us so that we can experience your faithfulness in our lives each day. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Thursday, September 2, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 7:20-25

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Hebrews 7:20-25

The Lord can rescue us, and He is the Lord who saves us till the end. John 13 tells us that Jesus loves those who belong to Him and love them till the end. This is so precious. We cannot find such enduring love in the world today. It's a love that never fails. Although Peter denied the Lord three times, and from a human perspective, it should have been unforgivable, the Lord still called Peter to turn back to Him. After Jesus was resurrected, He asked Peter three times, "Do you love me more than these?" Although Peter had stumbled and fell, the Lord gave him another chance and allowed Peter to stand before God again. During the Pentecost, Peter's preaching brought 3000 to come to the Lord and when he preached again a different time, 5000 were saved. Peter became a great vessel for the Lord. Paul persecuted the Christians early on in his life and went to Damascus to arrest more Christians. Yet Jesus did not give up on him, but laid hold of him on his way to Damascus. The Lord loves us to the end and will save us till the end. You may often feel weak in life, as if you cannot return to God. Do not lose heart, but fix your eyes on God. Remember that He loves you till the end and can save you till the end.

Second, the Lord lives forever and intercedes for us. Do you know that there is a great priest who sits on the throne of heaven and intercedes for us each day? The prayers of people are often weak and they stop when they are discouraged. However, the prayers of the Lord never cease. A sister once testified about how her husband showed little concern for her in the past. She prayed for him for many years, but did not see any results. One time, we told her that she needed to keep praying for her husband, but she said, "Forget it, what's the use of praying?" Nevertheless, God suddenly turned her husband around and after all these years of prayer, God's promised finally came to past. When she saw how her husband was changed, she was overjoyed. May the Lord help us to keep our hope in Christ Jesus, who is the one who will make our faith complete!

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because you are not only the God who loves us till the end, but you are also the God who intercedes for us. I bring before you the needs of my brothers and sisters. In the name of Jesus, I rebuke the lies and the attacks of the enemy. Help us to fix our eyes on you and keep trusting you so that we can receive the everlasting love you have for us. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Today's Passage - Hebrews 7:16-19

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english

Hebrews 7:16-19

"One who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

Those who are in Christ Jesus no longer live in the law of the flesh. The law of the flesh refers to our blood relationships. Based on our blood relationships, we have no part in Christ, because we are not Jews, nor people chosen by God. Moreover, based on blood relations, we cannot serve God because ever priest in the Old Testament had to be a Levite, and a descendant of Aaron. Furthermore, based on blood relations, those who serve God during the Old Testament had to be without blemish. There had to be no blemishes in the body of the Levites. For example, if your vision is not perfect, you will not qualify. Praise God, in the New Testament time, we do not go by blood relations. All who are in Christ Jesus have been set free from the law of the flesh. In Christ, we can have true freedom and come before God without fear and hesitation.

Since the Lord is the priest forever, those of us in Christ have inherited the power of eternal life in us. The power of eternal life is God's life in us that brings about new life. It takes us from a life destined to die to a body that will live forever. This world will pass away and our bodies will pass away. However, in Christ Jesus, there is everlasting life and hope. 2 Corinthians 4 says, "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

The life in Christ is everlasting life and a life from God. This life in Christ has power and can help us to overcome circumstances in our everyday lives and overcome the enemy's work in our lives. This life will bring new relationships, new love, new compassion and new strength in us. By these new blessings, we can experience God's riches, promises and love. Praise the Lord and let us enjoy these blessings in Christ today.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, I thank you because you do not go by the law of the flesh, but by your mighty power. Today in you we have been set free from the law of the flesh and enter into the power of your life. May this power fill the hearts of each brother and sister. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!

River of Life Christian Church | office@rolcc.net | ROLCC Website