Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Luke 22:14-23   After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, 'Take this and divide it among you.  For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.' And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.'  In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.'   Many traditions in the church are not indispensable: in some churches the pastors preach, in others the congregation share freely; in some churches people clap when they sing hymns, in some people respond with "amen" during the sermon, but in other churches members sit straight without moving.  All these are man-made traditions and they vary according to culture and need.  Removing them from the church won't disrupt the practice of our faith.  Holy communion, however, was instituted by Jesus Himself before He left the world and He taught us to abide by it; it's not dispensable, but it's essential to us.  When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we are eating and drinking the body of the Lord, manifesting that our life is connected to the Lord's life.  Just like what Paul said in Galatians 2:20: "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."  God and those who trust in Him will be united as one.   Through Holy Communion, our faith will be strengthened, our life will be more mature, and we will have more strength in our daily life.  On the contrary, if we don't take Holy Communion seriously, we are committing a sin that offends God, and it will affect our spiritual life and daily life.  Therefore, the Lord reminded us to "do this in remembrance of me" so that our spiritual life won't become lukewarm.  So, what do we remember about the Lord?   First of all, we must remember how the Lord died for us.  The work that Jesus completed on the cross allowed us to break away from sin, and also reconciled with God.  Therefore, when we receive the Holy Communion, we remember what the Lord has accomplished on the cross.  Second, we must remember the Lord in our daily life.  When we remember the Lord, we will focus our heart and mind on the Lord, and we won't do anything that displeases the Lord, but rather we will try our best to please the Lord in everyway we can.  Third, we must remember the return of the Lord.  When we think of the Lord, we must expect the coming of the Lord, because when that day comes we will meet face to face with the Lord who loves us, and we will be connected to the Lord forever.  It's just like a couple before the wedding day - they wish the day would come sooner, like the next second.  In the same way, we must expect the return of the Lord.   Does your heart remember the love of the Lord?  Do you often remember how the Lord died, resurrected and ascended to heaven for you?  Is your heart eager for the Lord?       Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, please draw me near you so that I may follow you closely, and let my heart often think of you and remember you.  Let my spirit be strengthened daily, so that your will can be done in me.  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 Luke 22:7-13   Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, 'Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.'  'Where do you want us to prepare for it?' they asked.  He replied, 'As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.  Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, "The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"  He will show you a large upper room, all furnished.  Make preparations there.'   This is the last Passover for the Lord while He was on earth; He asked the disciples to prepare a Passover dinner, because Passover has a special meaning in the work of Salvation by Jesus.  Passover is the holiday to commemorate how God saved the Israelites by leading the Israelites out of Egypt through the hand of Moses.  The Egyptian king Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he didn't want to let the Israelites go, so the judgment of God ultimately came upon Egypt and killed every first born, no matter it's human or animal.  There was only one way to escape God's judgment: God commanded all the Israelites not to go out that night, but to prepare and kill a flawless lamb and put its blood on the doorframe.  When the angel of destruction passes over the doors, if it sees the mark of blood, it won't enter the house; if it doesn't see the mark, it will enter the house and kill all the firstborns.  Whether it's Israelites or Egyptians, anyone whose house has blood on the doorframe will be saved.  That night, the entire land of Egypt wept because of God's judgment, and Pharaoh finally allowed Israelites to be released from the rule of Egypt.  Therefore, Israelites have celebrated this day for generations.   Passover dinner was the last dinner that the ancestors of Israelites had while they were enslaved in Egypt.  The whole experience of exodus from Egypt is a sign of the salvation for the whole human that God has prepared for all human beings through Jesus Christ.  Today, as we live under the rule of sin, it is much like how the Israelites could not be released from the rule of Egypt back in the old days.  No matter what our view of and reaction towards sin, we must admit that there seems to be a power inside us that pulls us away from doing good, but draw us to do evil.  It might be little things in daily life or some bad habits, human beings never seem to be able to defeat the power within us!  If we examine our life, we would find that in many ways sin is ruling us, just like how the Israelites could not shake off the rule of Egyptians.  We thank God and praise Him!  We are in Jesus today and our life can be released from the rule and authority of sin, so that we may have true freedom!       Pray with Pastor Tong           Dear Lord, I thank you for becoming the lamb of Passover for us so that the bondage of sin can be broken.  May the Spirit of the Lord release us so that we can have freedom and peace inside you.  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 Luke 22:1-6   ...Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.  And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.  They were delighted and agreed to give him money.  He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.    Actually, there's a good reason why Satan was able to enter the heart of Judas.  Although he followed Jesus all the time, he didn't really identify with what Jesus did and said.  In fact, he might have been hoping that Jesus would become a political liberator, but what Jesus did and said was pretty far away from his expectation.  Judas was deeply disappointed, and therefore he decided to just sell Jesus out so that he would at least gain some profit.  On the other hand, Judas was not a honest man to begin with, because the Bible says that he often stole money from the money bag for himself.  That's why Satan was able to enter his heart, because he had left plenty of room for Satan to come in.   1 Peters 5:8 says: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."   This passage doesn't say that the devil will devour everyone, but he will look for someone to devour.  So, there are actually two types of followers of Jesus - the type of can be devoured, and the type that cannot be.  Judas was obviously one who could be devoured, therefore Satan entered him heart!  When you understand this truth, you won't feel that Judas was wronged; because of him, it was possible for Jesus to be nailed tothe cross.  The key issue is that Jesus could have been nailed to the cross through hundreds of other ways and Judas didn't have to do what he had done; it was totally because he often left room for Satan.  Therefore, Judas needed to be responsible for his own spiritual life, and thus accept the consequence for the path he had chosen.   Are you a believer who can be devoured?  A believer doesn't become weak and stumble just in a day or two.  Lot in the Old Testament, for example, didn't decide to move to Sodom overnight; he was heading to the plain of Jordan River, but he moved slowly and kept sitting at the gate of Sodom, and eventually became the elder at the city of sin.  When we see what happened to Lot - his wife because a pillar of salt and his daughters committed incest with him - we realize that he needed to take responsibility for these sins.  May God give us a watchful heart to defend against all the plots of the devil by faith!       Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, please let the Holy Spirit shine into my heart, to see whether we have often left room for Satan.  Maybe the Lord put Judas right before us to remind us to never leave room for the devil.  Give us courage and strength to rebuke all the actions of Satan, and let the Lord manifest Himself in our life.  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 Luke 21:34-38   'Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.  For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.  Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.'  Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.   What's your understanding of and attitude towards the return of the Lord?  Many years ago, when I was working in Washington DC, there were several Christians in the same office, and everyone had a different attitude towards the return of the Lord.  A divorced female colleague with two kids wished that the Lord will return soon so that she can be taken to home in heaven, because she was tired on life on earth.  Another female colleague was young and active, and she wished that the Lord would come later because she hasn't fully enjoyed life yet.  Another colleague said he's never thought about the return of the Lord, like it didn't really matter to him,.   So what is our view on it?  Our understanding of and attitude towards return of the Lord will affect how we live.  The early church had great power when they served the Lord because they had the assurance and expectation for Lord's return.  Many Christians today, however, are busy pitying themselves because they don't think the Lord's return has anything to do with them.  Lord has told us that we must be watchful while waiting for the Lord, and pray vigilantly and faithful complete what God has entrusted us like good servants.  When the Lord left the Lord, He has left the authority for victory to the church, which is us.  God's will is always forward-looking, and those who follow the Lord should also follow what the Lord has commanded us.  When the Bible talks about "expect," it has the connotation of making an effort in it, which means we on the one hand should work for the Lord diligently, and also feverishly wait for the Lord's return.  Are you prepared for the Lord's return?       Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because I know that in your all efforts are not in vain!  May the Lord help us, to serve you faithfully in our daily life.  No matter whether it at home, at work or in church, let us be men or women of your own heart.  I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

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Daily Devotion

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Luke 21:29-33   He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees.  When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.  Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.  'I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.'   Throughout the life of Jesus, the momentum for His life and ministry was not faith, hope and love, not a life of dashing forward, but rather the Kingdom of God.  The key message of the Lord was simply "Kingdom of Heaven is near, so you must repent."  His parables are parables of the Kingdom, the miracles He performed were to lead people into God's Kingdom, thus He said "one cannot enter Kingdom of Heaven without repenting."  From New to Old Testaments, the Kingdom of God has been the theme that God wanted to reveal, so that the Kingdom may be established.  Jesus Christ came for the Kingdom, and also died for the Kingdom.  He also resurrected and ascended to heaven for the Kingdom and will return for it.  God's Kingdom is the momentum, goal and direction for the life of Jesus.  When He returns, God's Kingdom will be completely manifested.   As follower of Christ, we must also see the significance of God's Kingdom!  When we are born again the enter the Kingdom of God, we become the stewards of God's Kingdom, and ultimately God will lead us into His glorious Kingdom.  Therefore, we must follow the example of Jesus, and let God's Kingdom because the center and momentum of our life.  May the Lord give us the perspective of the Kingdom, and understand God will and plan in our lives.  When we see what God is doing around the world, we will see the horns of the angels have sounded, God's Kingdom is coming for sure, and the news of God's revival are heard all around the world.  May God place an eagerness inside us to pray to Him, and give us a strong desire to see His glory manifested in our lifetime.  May God help us to have the heart for God's Kingdom, turn our attitude for life around, and make God's Kingdom a high priority in our life!       Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because you are the Lord of the Kingdom!  Please open our heart and let us see your will for the whole world.  When we see what's happening in the world, we know that your Kingdom will come soon.  May the Lord help us, let us prepare ourselves in our daily life, and let your Kingdom manifest in our lives.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

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