Today's Passage - Phil 2:22-24

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:22-24   But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon.   Timothy is someone who could labor with Paul.  What did he labor with Paul?  In the work of gospel.  Preaching the gospel cannot depend on famous evangelists, and it must be someone everyone involves in to labor with the Lord.  You might think you are not familiar with the Bible or you don't know what to say, so how could you labor on the work of evangelism?  Actually, preaching the gospel is not just verbal, but more importantly by prayer and by action.   What does it mean to preach the gospel by prayer?  In order for preaching the gospel to be effective, prayer is an essential element.  When the U.S. was fighting the Persian Gulf War, they fought a war in the air before they sent in the army.  Once they had control of the air, battles on the ground becomes easier.  Many believers do not understand the importance of prayer; they directly enter into field of gospel, which is like fighting a close-distance ground battle before having control of the air.  It will surely result in many casualties and lead to defeat!  Through prayer, we can first bind work of the deception and accusations of the enemies in the hearts of the believers.  In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Paul said that "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  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."  Therefore, never use your inability to speak eloquently as an excuse; when you pray, you are serving in the work of gospel.   What does it mean to preach the gospel by action?  Action speaks louder than words, it is the testimony of action that is the key which convinces people.  Years ago I knew a brother back in Philadelphia.  He accepted the Lord in the U.S., and later he ran into a college friend who was a foe of his back in the college days, when they attacked and slandered each other.  When that happened he really had great struggle inside; on the one hand he felt that since he's a Christian, he should apologize to the person and reconcile with him; on the other hand, he thought that those things happened so long ago it'd be embarrassing and also pointless to apologize.  After much struggles, he gathered courage to go in front of his classmate, held his hand and told him: "I'm sorry, I was wrong before, please forgive me."  The person was so touched that he held the brother and cried.  What a beautiful picture it was!  This picture, however, involves the price of sacrifice!  Are you will to labor with the Lord in prayer and action?     Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, I thank you, for you have shown how important I am in the work of gospel.  May your spirit guide me to open my mouth and pray and open my heart to testify for you.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Phil 2:19-21

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:19-21   ... I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.   We often say that in the church we must have unity of heart and mind; however, whose heart should we be united with?  Is it your heart or my heart?  When Paul talked about unity, he's not saying that we need to have each other's heart or mind, or to appreciate one another, but to have the heart and mind of God.  "For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ;" when everyone has the mind of Christ, everyone will naturally be united.   What does it mean to "show genuine concern for your welfare"?  It means to put God in the first place.  In today's busy society, making money come first, enjoying life is second, family is third, and we'll do faith when we have spare time.  It's no wonder that we can't experience the truthfulness and preciousness of God.  Actually, everything that we possess in the world is just another zero.  No matter how many zeroes we add up, we'll end up with zero!  If you accept Jesus into your life, He becomes the one in your life.  Once an one is added to your life, then everything becomes valuable.  One zero is a ten, three zeroes make one thousand, the zeroes will become more valuable!   Unfortunately, even though many Christians do have one in their life, but it's in the wrong position.  They didn't put their one at the front, but instead all the way in the back.  No matter how many zero they put in front of the one, the result is still one.  Therefore, many believers still have no joy and lack power, because they didn't put the Lord in the right place.  As long as relationship with the Lord is not right, relationship with people will not be right.  When we humble ourselves and seek God's will, we will be united in the Lord.  Do you feel that it's hard to have unity with your family, or with the brothers and sisters?  The real reason is that everyone is looking out for their own interest, or waiting for someone else to seek what Jesus Christ wants but don't want to be the first to do so.  Are you willing to take a step of faith forward?   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, please forgive me, for I often only seek for matters that concern myself, but not matters concerning Jesus Christ.  May the spirit of the Lord remind me to seek Jesus in everything, so that I may once again rejoice in unity with other people.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Phil 2:16-18

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:16-18   ...But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.   Paul talked about the two sources of his joy in this passage.  First, his joy is from serving God.  Paul used his whole life to run for God with all that He's got.  He feverishly served among the churches not for fame or money, but for the kingdom of God.  What he valued was not the abundance of this life, but what God think of him when he stands before God one day.  When he sees the result of his hard labor - the growth in faith of the believers - his heart was joyful, because he knew that God is pleased with his work.  Paul rejoiced with God, for he could offer his life to do whatever pleases God.  That's why he said "even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you."  He would sacrifice his own satisfaction, or even his own life, in order to satisfy God's heart.    The second source of joy is the joy from serving brothers and sisters.  Paul said that "I am glad and rejoice with all of you."  He didn't consider the brothers and sisters just a part of his ministry, or just some numbers on a report.  He loved them and cared for their needs.  He worried about them, so he made tremendous effort to teach them.  He also rejoiced with them when he saw them grew in the spirit.  Even when they excel pass him, Paul would not be jealous, but rather rejoice for them and with them!   Only those who love God would rejoice when God rejoices; only those who love brothers and sisters would rejoice when brothers and sisters rejoice.  Are you eager to have such true and long-lasting joy?  If your heart has grown cold before God and the brothers and sisters, let love of the Lord stir up your heart again!     Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord Jesus, may you once again revive the fire of love inside me, which is the fire that once loved you and the brothers and sisters feverishly.  Let me truly experience the joy that you promised, the glorious joy that is indescribable.  May you come and fill me now!  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Phil 2:14-15

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:14-15   Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.   It is God's will for all believers to become "children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation."  So, how do we become "children of God without fault?"  There are two ways.  First, do not grumble or complain about anything that we do.  When we encounter any difficulty, our first reaction is to complain - It's either someone else's fault, or God is unfair, but we fail to see that complaining is how Satan hinders us from living for the Lord.  When we complain, our eyesight has shifted from God to ourselves.  The Martha served the Lord, she complained because she only saw herself.  She said that "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"  Her focus was solely on herself, so her heart was hectic and her mouth complained.   Next, we must be blameless and pure.  Being blameless and pure doesn't mean everyone must become a saint and can never make any mistake.  We need to face our faith and life, and especially our mistakes, honestly.  We like to cover our mistakes, but it ends up giving people a perfection of hypocrisy.  I used to know a sister back in the East Coast who rented a dorm room with a non-believer.  At first she was really afraid to make any mistake that might stumble the non-believer, so she was extremely cautious and trying to cover her shortcomings, but as time goes by it became really painful.  Later on, she learned to face the roommate with honesty, sharing the joy of faith with her, but also not covering the struggles that she had.  The non-believer roommate was really touched because she saw a testimony before her that she could identify with.  Even though she was the shortcomings of the sister, it didn't reduce the impact of a honest life of faith.    Brothers and sisters, we can't just sit here and complain about how warped and crooked our generation is.  We must stand up for the Lord, don't just complain but active life a blameless and pure life.  This world is still waiting to see the testimonies of God's children.  Are you willing to deliver such a testimony for the Lord?      Pray with Pastor Tong          Lord, please guard my mouth and help me not to complain.  Let my mouth always be filled with words that praise you.  Lord, please guard my heart, so that I may honestly face my shortcomings, so that your mighty power of renewal may be manifested in my life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Phil 2:12-13

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:12-13   Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.   Did you know that God is living inside you?  God often speak to us through our mind and thoughts, and He also speaks to us by prompting our heart.  Unfortunately we are not always sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and as a result we often miss God's work in our heart.  Sometimes you have a strong burden to call someone, but then you thought it's kind of late, so you decided to call the next day, but then you forgot to do it later.  Once Mrs. Liu got sick and was hoping to talk to someone, but for the whole week no one called her, and she felt really bad.  The week after, I ran into a sister, and she told me that she wanted to call Belinda sometime last week but then didn't end up calling.  When I told her how Belinda felt, she was regretful that she didn't make the call.   We often miss God's work in our heart and miss what God wants us to do because we don't understand God's work.  "It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."  It doesn't mean that every thought in our mind comes from the Lord, but God undeniably works in our hearts and He prompts us to do things that can accomplish His perfect will.   May God give us a courageous heart, not only be willing but actually making it happen.  Do you feel that God is prompting you to do something, like make a call, visit someone, send a card, etc.?  May the Lord help us not to wait, but to obey His guidance and serve by faith, so that His will may be accomplish through you and I!      Pray with Pastor Tong          Lord Jesus, I thank you because you are still living inside me and speaking to me.  May you help me to understand your prompting inside my heart, and give me the courage to act according to the prompting so that people may benefit from what I do.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Phil 2:9-11

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:9-11   Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.   Some people described the salvation of Jesus with the English alphabet V.  Jesus was supposed to be equal with God as He sat on the throne in heaven, but because of God's love He was willing to humble Himself and take on the form of man in the world, and was nailed on the cross for the sin of people.  He was even separated from God, which was the lowest point of His life.  Because He is the savior without sin, death could not imprison Him and sin cannot bind Him.  On the third day, God resurrected Jesus from death, which manifested that Jesus is the Son of God with mighty power.  Jesus was humbled and then rose high, which formed a V shape.  V stands for victory, representing the gospel the Jesus brought us is the gospel of victory.   After Jesus resurrected from death, God gave Him a name of every name.  Name represents authority, and God has given all authority to Jesus so that we can together enjoy the authority for victory in Him.  Christ in you is not weak, for 2 Corinthians 13:3 says that "He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you."  As soon as we accept Jesus as our savior, we've also accepted the life that resurrected from death.  This life is moving in our hearts, and it can overcome sin, disease and all authorities of darkness.   As long as you exalt Jesus in the circumstance in your life, and let your hearts bow before Him and declare He is the Lord, Spirit of the Lord will deliver you.  Are you in the bondage of disease?  Just proclaim the name of the Lord that the resurrected life of Jesus will move inside you to remove death and bring life.  Are you finding no way out in the circumstance of suffering?  Just proclaim the name of the Lord that the resurrected life of Jesus will open a door for you.  He is the resurrected savior, He is the reason we observe the Lord 's Day and we can always rejoice.  Do you rejoice when you come before the Lord?  You should, because the Lord has already accomplished great things for us!    Pray with Pastor Tong          Lord, I thank you, because not only did you die on the cross for me, you also resurrected from death, and also manifested to us that you are the Son of God with your mighty power.  May you remove all the darkness and illness inside us, and place the joy in Christ back into my life.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Phil 2:5-8

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Philippians 2:5-8   In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very natureof a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!   The mindset of Jesus Christ is the mindset of a servant.  To Christians, God doesn't want us to just be servants of people, but rather to willingly serve those around us because we obey Him, because that's the example that Lord Jesus set for us.  When Jesus was in the world, He hosted tax collectors and sinners, and He went to those in need.  Many times Lord Jesus wanted to retreat to the desert to take a break, but when He saw the people who followed Him, how they were suffering and wandering, He would serve and heal them.  Even when children went to Him, Jesus said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."  During the last supper, the disciples were arguing about who should be the leader and no one wanted to humble themselves to wash others' feet.  The Lord picked up a towel, bent down, and washed the feet of the disciples one by one.  Lastly, Jesus came for the sin of all people and He was willing to die on the cross.  When we see the life of Jesus, we understand that He meant by: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."    This world operates on binding and managing people with tactics and authority, but Lord Jesus has always drawn people to follow Him by setting an example as a servant.  The authority of the world will pass away, but the heart of the Lord will always touch everyone who follows Him.  Has your heart ever been touched by the Lord?  Jesus wants us to live out the heart of the Lord in our daily.  First, we serve others according to their needs.  A servant will not only understand needs, but always takes action to fulfill needs.  A person who's determined to serve will sacrifice themselves to serve others.  Second, servants won't look for reward, because servants know that they're just doing their duty.  Also, our reward isn't what's on earth, but to please God.  Are you someone who's served by people, or you serve people?  God's word asks us to "have the same mindset as Christ Jesus."  Are you willing to do that?   Pray with Pastor Tong          Lord, I thank you because even though you're supposed to be rich, you willingly became poor so that we may be rich.  May you give me the heart of a servant so that people around me may become rich because of me.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!