Today's Passage - Romans 4:1-5

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 4 1-5   "What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about-but not before God. What does Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness."    Is there really free lunch in the world? Once on my short-term mission trip to Northern Thailand, we took the bus to return to Chiang Mai. When the attendant offered us cold drinks, my team member and I both turned down the offer. So he went on and distributed the drinks to other passengers. Later on we found out the drinks were free, so we went back to the attendant to ask for some. What an embarrassing experience! We are used to "No free lunch in the world" in our daily life. So my first reaction was to turn down the offer of cold drink. I didn't realize there was complementary cold drink in the bus service.    What keeps us from receiving God's grace is often our false impression. We would think grace is to be earned by our spirituality. That makes us prone to judge others, and feel we are more spiritual than others, and think we are more worthy of the grace than others. In fact, we receive the grace freely. No one can boast before God. In verse 4 the Bible says: "Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift." If you think you are worthy of God's grace simply because you are more spiritual than others, you haven't even received that grace. All you possess is merely your feeling of self-righteousness, because you only get the complacency from self-discipline, which is not the grace. Grace is something you receive but you are unworthy of, something you haven't earned for, something you receive freely, something you and I can only receive freely. In verse 5 the Bible says: "However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness." Even though it is something hard to understand, it is an extremely precious gift that we can approach our Heavenly Father with confidence to receive His abundant riches, love, grace and power. All we need to do is just to receive. How precious it is!                            Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, we thank you for your free grace and for your willingness to bless us with grace in our daily life. May the Lord remove any self-righteousness inside us so we may receive all of your grace. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Romans 3:29-31

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 3:29-31   "Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law."    Why did Paul spend so much time on the issue of circumcision? Genesis 17:9-14 has made it clear that circumcision is the symbol for God's chosen people. So after being under this type of cultural influence for a long time, Jewish Christians then felt one must be circumcised first in order to become a Christian. However, they didn't realize that such a requirement would set up a trap of false teaching, which would require a Gentile to become a Jew before becoming a Christian. Which one is more important at all, the formality of circumcision, or the faith behind the circumcision? One may have gone through formality of circumcision, which may or may not prove that he has true faith. In the old days many Jews died due to their disobedience to God. The circumcision they went through failed to save them.         On the other hand, when someone truly receives God's grace by faith, his faith will lead him along the path that follows God's heart. Paul said that faith doesn't nullify the law. Rather, it upholds the law, for the law is outward, not as important as a person's heart. A person thatcares for the law may not have the true faith. However, a person with faith will gradually obey the law due to his obedience to God. May God help us not to judge others by outward rules of behavior. There is such a culture inside the church by which we subconsciously judge and criticize others all the time. For example, how to baptize people may become controversial so some churches insist that people will only get saved when they are re-baptized in their churches. For another example, how to worship such as whether one should lift up his hands or not during worship may become controversial, too. Up till now, believers still are prone to place traditional culture of the church before faith, so that they argue with each other over the outward rules of behavior just like the Jews in the old days. May God set us free from the argument over the rules of behavior. So we may be joyful for each other's faith instead.                           Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, may you open our eyes so we no longer judge brothers and sisters by the outward rules of behavior. Help us see the faith inside them and accept them instead. May your love pour down from the throne. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Romans 3:27-28

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 3:27-28   "Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law." There is no way for man to boast in the salvation that God set up, for we cannot get ourselves saved by our own works at all. In fact, this is exactly pertaining to why many people refuse to accept Jesus, because they always think there is something they can do to get saved. Many people like the way of works. They try to accumulate merits to counter the sins they have committed. Actually one must do what is good, which is the requirement for everyone. However, merits cannot counter the imperfection one has at all. If you ask those who try to accumulate merits how many merits are enough to counter the sins, nobody would dare to say he has enough merits, because he will never get enough merits. Jesus became the only everlasting sacrifice of atonement when he died on the cross for us. Hebrews 10:14 says: "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." What Jesus did on the cross once for all became the everlasting sacrifice of atonement. All we need to do is just to receive with a humble heart. The Bible says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." The proud always feel theystill can do something to earn His grace, while the humble can always be aware of their weakness, acknowledge their shortcomings and accept all the grace from God.    Children are the most innocent and humble group. No wonder Jesus said: "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Let's make up our mind to be humble before God, because the humble can see God's presence and His work in every aspect of their life. They can also benefit from the support by other brothers and sisters. Firstly, one must come to know God, because if a person will think he is someone great if he only sees himself, but will start to realize how trivial he is when he turns his eyes on God. Secondly, one must come to know God's plan for him. Don't always compare with others. If one wants to be used by God, he has to learn how to be humble first. Brothers and Sisters, are you willing to start today?                          Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, we pray that you teach us how to be humble, and how to be ready to look upon your grace rather than relying on our own might. May you stop us from comparing with others, and help us instead to live for you by your blessings. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Romans 3:21-22

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 3:21-22   "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference..."   We thank God because His righteousness is given to everyone who believes and it makes no difference because of who they are.  The purpose of the law is for us to know our sins, but cannot save us from them.  That's why salvation from God is so precious, for He knew that we cannot be justified by our own actions.  He is prepared salvation for us so that the righteousness of God can be revealed apart from the law.  Why apart from the law?  Because according to the law, we are all sinners who ought to stand trial without exception.  Therefore, God needed to first release us from the authority and bondage of the law, and then we can be given God's grace.   How did God set us apart from the law?  By letting our Savior Lord Jesus Christ, who is free of sin, take on the penalty from God for our sins.  Just like in the judicial system where we are supposed to be condemned because of our sins, someone went up to the judge and told him, "I'm willing to take on all the penalties for him."  Suddenly I am set free; I no longer owe any debt of sin and bound by the authority of law, all because Jesus had born my sins on my behalf on the cross.  That's the wonder of salvation, for it sets us apart from the authority of law.  So how do we receive such grace?  Verse 22 says that "God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."  To believe is to accept; if I go to your house and knock on your door, you open the door and see Pastor Tong and you will welcome me in.  In the same way, the Bible says that the Lord is knocking on the door of your heart.  This scripture passage wasn't speaking to the non-believers, but to the church of Laodicea.  To those who already accepted the Lord, God has all kinds of grace for us to receive, and all we need to do is to say to the Lord, "I welcome you and I am willing to accept all the grace from you!"   God's love for us is equally precious for everyone and has no difference.  God doesn't love someone more because he's Jewish or he's rich.  God likes to give His grace to everyone in the world; no matter what ethnic group or social class we belong do, as long as we come before Him just as we are, He's glad to give us His grace.  Do you need to be covered by the precious blood of the Lord?  This may be the time for you to once again come before God and proclaim that He is Lord, and the power of His precious blood will come upon you.                                                   Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because your precious blood has great authority and power to cleanse and heal.  Today, we can come before the gracious throne of yours with no fear and to receive all the grace you have prepare for us.  May your grace come into our life and once again renew us.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Romans 3:25-26

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 3:25-26   "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood-to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."    Why Christians get to enjoy God's grace is just because the salvation that comes to us through the shedding of Jesus' blood is to be received by faith so as to demonstrate his righteousness. Likewise, all kinds of grace from God comes to us through the shedding of Jesus' blood, and it is to be received by faith so as to demonstrate his righteousness, too.   First, it takes the precious blood of Jesus for God's grace to come to us. His precious blood is the basis to defeat works of the enemies. It can also wash away all our sins so that we will become holy before God. The Bible says: "Without holiness no one will see the Lord." If not for the salvation by His precious blood, it would be impossible to come to the throne of grace of the Lord to receive wisdom and strength to help us in our time of need. This salvation through His precious blood is a necessity not only when we get saved, but also in our daily life afterwards.   Second, it is to be received by faith, which is the key to a victorious life as a Christian. The Bible says: "It is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." Hebrews 11:6 also says: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." We must face the challenge of our daily life by faith. Faith is that you still believe God has  water will recede once you take the first step, even before the water of the Jordan River recedes. Faith is based on the word of God. Things will turn out the way God says. We need to learn to live by faith, not by sight in our daily life, for the sight kills, only faith gives life.   Third, it is to demonstrate the righteousness of God. All the work God has done on us is to make our lives more mature, more holy, and more like Jesus. God's grace makes our lives manifest more of His righteousness and His holiness, for that is the ultimate plan God has for us. He will not only let us know that He is righteous, but also make every of His believers righteous. What a great grace it is!                             Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, may you strengthen our faith so that we may experience more of your grace every day. Help us come to you by faith to receive your blessing and power every day. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Romans 3:19-20

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 3:19-20   "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin."   The purpose of the law is for us to "become conscious of sin."  The book of James says that the law is like a mirror; if you look in the mirror in the morning you can see whether you have any dirty spots on your face; however, just seeing the spots won't cleanse your face, because knowing that the spots exist on your face won't make them go away.  When you step out of your house, everyone still see a dirty face.  We often don't understand this, and we think that knowing more about the law will make us more holy, and that the more restrictions we impose on ourselves the better we will become.  The fact is that more law simply brings on more mirrors.  If you look at yourself from different angles, you will see yourself more clearly and you'd be more terrified, but that won't help you to become more holy at all.   Our faith does not teach justification by obeying the law, because it is our heart, not our outward actions, that make us sin.  The Lord said that when we judge and curse someone, it's same as committing murder, because deep inside we want to get rid of the person.  The law can only regulate your actions, but it won't change your heart.  We need to come before the Lord and accept salvation, for only the precious blood of the Lord can cleanse all sins.  In your life, are there spots that you have not been able to remove?  Perhaps you are the only one who knows about this spot through a little mirror, or perhaps everyone can see this spot because it's showing up on several large mirrors.  No matter how big the spot is, we can come before the Lord by faith and ask the Lord to cleanse us with His precious blood.  The Lord said that "...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..."  May the precious blood of the Lord cleanse you now and once again renew your life.                                                 Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, I thank you because not only did you give us the law so that we know about our sins, your precious blood can also cleanse them all.  May the precious blood of the Lord come upon each brother and sister, so that everyone will be cleansed and also healed.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!

Today's Passage - Romans 3:23-24

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 3:23-24   "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."   Many people don't understand the definition of sin. They wonder why they have sinned if they have never committed any murder or arson. In fact, sin includes not only outward criminal acts, but also inner denial of God. The so-called "falling short of the glory of God" actually means not giving God the glory He deserves. When God created us originally, He wanted to declare through us His own glory and praises of Him. When God created everything, He saw that it was good. He even created mankind in His own image just to reflect His glory. When people deny God in their lives, they actually turn off the function of reflecting God's glory. God's glory can no longer be manifested through them. This is "falling short of the glory of God".   The glory, which is originally meant to manifest through people, now can no longer be manifested. This is the sin that Bible refers to. People always like to be self-centered. They always feel superior to others. We see this "sinfulness" in the self-centeredness, which alienates us from God, from others, and even from our inner selves. Sin takes away from people peace, joy and satisfaction. Praise the Lord! Out of His love He prepared for us the redemption. By the redemption through the crucified Jesus, this imperfection has been compensated for us so that we are once again made whole and justified freely in Christ. Not only we can be justified freely, we can also receive freely all grace, healing and power from God. Did you come to God today and receive His grace freely?                          Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, we pray that you forgive all our sins, for truly we have sinned and fall short of your glory. May the Lord cleanse us with your precious blood, so that we can approach your throne of grace with confidence to receive all of your grace. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!