Fasting and Praying | Pastor Joy Teh

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Up your day fasting and praying at the same time,

believing that this is the time in the year that

we set apart together to seek the Lord, to pray

too fast, and to believe God to bring us to

another level of growth.

Amen. Amen.

So if we look at the Bible all the way

from the Old Testament, you will see that even Israel

was asked too fast, Okay, okay, so that one hopefully

today I have time. There are some parts of the

message which I keep reminding myself, don't talk so much joy,

you know, because sometimes the Holy spit just need to move.

God just need a bit of time to minister, and

I don't want to hinder that. So let's see how

the Holy Spirit will lead us even this morning. But

in the Old Testament there is this day. They call

it the day of Atonement, all right, So it's like

a very sacred day and the whole nation will fast, okay,

when the high priests goes into the holiest place to

do and perform the purification process.

So back in the Old Testament, our the people of.

God already faster and I think when we read the Bible,

we will know King David faster, right, Elijah faster, Queen

Esther faster, So we all know, and many kings even

let the people of issue to fast. Now in a

New Testament, if you go to the Book of Eggs,

you will see even Christians, the believers coming.

Together and they pray.

They fast for different needs, especially when they want to

send forth apostles, they want to appoint elders, they also

fast and pray. Okay, so let's today what I think.

I would just put it in three points. Mainly, I

think it's good now that we're at the start of

our U turn all right, at the start of our

twenty one day prayer and fast.

Let's have the.

Right attitude as well to make sure. And how many

were at.

Homes the last homes?

Yes?

And what was the topic about fasting and prayer? Correct?

And I like it when they put a.

List of things what to avoid member or not, then

your home leader will probably ask that question or your

facilitators say, what are you know some of the things

that maybe you have experienced before that you did the

same mistake. So I'm one I was fastilitating they know

I yes, and then I said, yeah, Actually I made

all the music before, never plan rush into fasting then,

never set a part time to pray every Bible all

our lives. When we were starting the fast things, we

were campus students. We made all those mistics before. And

that's why we can list down what are some of

the things to avoid, isn't it okay? So let's set

our hearts and our minds right as well even as

we approach even this time of fast things. So first

one I put there, let's have I have my slides right. Ah, Okay,

God's our rewarded. Okay, So God is our rewarder, So

let's have faith to believe that God is our rewarder.

I felt encouraged, But it's just me feeling encouraged when

those of you who are pray yesterday fast. I can

also share this verse and this word I felt because

I was already preparing the message, and I felt it

was a confirmation. And I believe the Lord is speaking

to us right that the Lord God is a reward Okay,

So we read our we also talk about in our

last homes as I say, what to avoid, so rushing

into fast thing without a plan. So day two today,

So don't worry. I just want to encourage us. If

maybe we were not at pray yesterday, we have not started.

You done yet. Today is day two.

It's not too late, all right, turn to your neighbor

and say it's not too late.

Turn to the other neighbor.

You can start today, So don't worry wherever you are now,

even at homes we as a homeleader, I also am

aware some of my homemies are also doing this for

the first time. All right, So some of you, maybe

you're new to ex church and maybe this is your

first time. You're joining in together for twenty one day

prayer and fast. So don't worry wherever we are. We

start where we are at immen.

Okay.

That's the important thing is to have the right mental

attitude even as we start.

So we need to remember that it is God's will.

For us to fast. I just want to establish that,

all right, God will bless us when we fast in

accordance to His will.

Do you believe that? Amen?

We've got to believe us before we even start. You know,

then why are you doing it?

Okay? Okay? So how do we know that God is

God's will for us to fast?

So we want to look into God's word to know

that it is God's will for us to fast. So

it is not some we don't need some feeling or

some divine revelation. But didn't tell me to fast? Okay, right,

don't it because we will see from God's word. God

already clearly tells us about fast thing. So the first

portion of scripture that I want to bring us to

is med Til chapter six.

Now I have my slight and the verse.

So in ex church we believe, and I believe it's

to do it in ten air mind. We believe in

owning our bibles, bringing our Bibles, and turning to our

Bibles and reading our Bibles.

So if you have a Bibles, you can wave it proudly. Okay, okay.

If you don't have, you smile your neighbor.

It's either you share or you can use your e Bibles.

No problem, all right, okay, but you have come. Let's

turn to Methil chapter six right now. Now, don't worry.

Some of the verses you will turn some of it.

I will provide for you so that we can follow

and so that due to time we can cover what

we want to cover.

All right, are we good? Yeay. So now let's look

at max Toil chapter six. Now, matter.

Chapter six is part of the Sermon of the Mound,

when Jesus was preaching a long series of sermons. All right, okay,

so this is a portion. So we're going to look

at verse sixteen to eighteen, are we there?

Yeah? All right? So in extras you're allowed to.

Make noise one, all right, and you're not too smile

and ah, okay, yes, let's read verse sixteen.

All right.

So, and I'm reading from the New Living transtation. Okay,

so but if any other version, I'll mention to you.

So when Jesus say, Jesus said, and when you fast,

don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they

try to look miserable and diceiviled so people will admire

them for their fast. See, I tell you the truth

that it's the only reward they will ever get verse seventeen.

But when you fast, what did you say? From your

hair and wash your face? Then no one will notice

that you're fasting except your father, who knows that you

do in what you do in private, and your father church.

This is what I want you to focus on, whatever

version that you're reading your father, who sees everything, will

not do anything for you. Did the Bible say that?

Did Jesus say, I will not bother about you? I

don't care. No, Jesus said, your father, who sees it

everything will reward you.

So do you believe now that God what reward you?

Yes?

So this isn't someone of the mouth Jesus was peaching. Now.

Earlier on in the chapter, Jesus was talking about praying

as well, and he was telling them the right way

to pray and having the right motives. Okay, So then

later on in the chapter he's talking about fast thing.

So when Jesus said that if and when you.

Fast, okay, you're heavening father who sees it, and when

you do it in the right way, God will reward you, immen,

does it also mean that if we fail too fast,

if we don't, we're also robbing ourselves of a reward.

Do you know that because we didn't do it? Because

God said, when you do it, God will reward immen.

In other words, when you don't do it, there's no

reward life.

Okay, hallelujah.

Now Hebrews eleven, chapter eleven, verse six. Okay, And this

is the verse that also, I believe it's for all

of us and for myself as well. What did the

writer of Hebrews say? It is impossible to please God

without faith. So let's have faith to believe believe that

God is a rewarded imen. Anyone who wants to come

to him with God must firstly believe that God exists

and that He rewards those who sincerely seek him. So

we must approach God on the basis of it. So

as we start our u turn church. Why am I

saying all this? It's so important? How are we starting?

Do we even believe that God is our reward imen?

Okay?

So, first day, believe that God exists, and secondly, He

is a rewarder of those who diligionally say him. But

of course there's conditioner. We need to seek God diligionly.

God will because that's guaranteed in his words.

Amen. Amen.

So I believe all my heart if we made up

our minds to seek God diligionly in fasting and prayer

during this youth turn, God will reward us.

Amen. Amen.

So that's the first one, all right. So we come

approach fasting and praying knowing that God is our reward.

Hallelujah.

Now we also want to see that praying and fast

thing always come together one. Okay, it comes hand in hand,

and fast thing is a key to effective prayer. Now

why do I say that? So in the same chapter

that we read just now in mettew six. Now I

want us to go turn to the earlier versus in

verse five and six. So stay there in metteal six,

verse five and six.

Okay, are we there?

Yeah?

All right?

Now I want us to pay attention whichever translation that

you're reading from verse five? What did Jesus say when

you pray, don't be like the hippo quids who love

to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues

where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth.

That's all the reward they will ever get. Sounds familiar, okay.

Verse six. And but when you pray, go away by yourself,

shut the door behind you, and pray to your father

and have in private then your father same thing.

We beat it.

Who sees everything? Will we want you? But remember this

is verse five and six. So Jesus talk about prayer first.

Later on he talked about fasting. But do you see

the button same beton. Jesus said, when you pray, go

to the da da, and when you pray the da da

correct same thing. When you fast, don't do this he

started in the negative. And then but when you fast,

what he wants us to do, you fast this way instate,

and then the heavenly Father who sees it will we

want you so.

The same way.

That we pray should be the same way that we fast.

But even for me, it's true. For me, I'm talking

to myself that when we talk about prayer, we talk about, you.

Know, prayer.

We can accept that prayer is like a normal thing

in a Christian life, isn't it? But fasting normally, yes,

some of us do. And let to encourage us to

do it. We will do it together until your one

day praying fast. But when when God you feel led

to fast, you should as well, because it sounds the same.

God put it the same level. Understand prayer and fast.

It comes hand in hand.

Amen. Amen.

And you notice one more thing in the bettern than not.

Did Jesus say, if you pray, if you pray by

this English line is talking about English line translation.

You'll talk about that other time.

But Jesus said when you pray, ah okay, and when

you talk about fast thing, did you just said, if

you fast, please fast?

Don't fast like that?

If you fast fast like that sounds like an option gun.

If if you do it, then do like that? No,

don't do then don't do that?

That correct? But what did you just say when you fast?

What does it imply you should do it?

Like a yeah? The most expected exactly? Okay, So we

all know we've got your brains, and it's like almost

Jesus trying and say that I'm not saying telling you,

but I'm telling you like ah, okay, when you pray

and when you fast?

Amen. Amen.

So we can see a close parallel between what Jesus

talks about praying and what he talks about fast thing.

And Jesus didn't say if you just said when? So

God expects us to fast just like he expects us

to pray. Amen.

Amen. All right.

So that's the second one, now the last one which

I will spend the most of my time in.

Okay.

Now, I really believe that fast thing is I won't

say the only way, but one of God's way. And

we can see in God's word for us to humble ourselves.

Amen. Now, why is humbling ourselves so important? Now?

So this whole you turn prayer and fast. What do

you think is the main thing that we're actually doing.

It's fasting the main thing that you want to achieve.

It's a way of getting there. But I really believe

it's a time of humbling ourselves even doing this time.

Right, you seek the Lord.

The only way to seek God and to come before

Him in his presence if you want to God, it's

more like I want more of God. Means have to

be less of us, isn't it. Yes, So it's the

humbling of ourselves even doing this time. So even as

we go into U turn, I really believe at the

end of the day, we need to all remember that

we are humbling ourselves before God even during this time.

Amen.

And fast thing is a very It's a good way

for us to humble ourselves. Why because we got to

deal with the pride issue in our lives right, Yes,

And anything that can get that right away, it's a

good thing for us. So fast thing is one way

that we can do it. Now, let's look at James

chapter four, verse ten, and what did James said? He

said in verse ten humble yourselves before the Lord. Now,

as we are reading the scripture, I want us to

loose as some patterns so by some of the different

authors of the different books of the Bible. They didn't discuss,

but it seems to have a theme. Humble yourselves before

the law, and what will happen? He will lift you

up in honor. I praise God. God is a good

God and he always come like we miss us. Do

you know that this is going to happen? When you

do this, God is going to be war you. He

will lift you up. It's not some ify like maybe aha,

it may be like if I feel like it, I will. No.

God is so clear he will lift you up in honor. Amen.

So, But James said, humble yourself, humble who God humble us?

But sometimes we have this picture of mentality.

Gun, I also have this this No God, you humble

mean a humble mean a Lord, humble me?

And we pray God humble me.

But what did God say? God say, humble yourself?

Yes, so you we got to do it. Who gotta

do it? We gotta do it. Tell your neighbor, I

gotta do it.

Tell your other neighbor, you gotta do it le Louiah, Jesus. Okay,

we got to do it. It's not God's job. So we

push the responsible right to God, isn't it? Ah?

No, very very way. Where is we were?

Just?

Oh God, you humble Mina.

Why you know?

Humble me? God much his problem? Right, God said, it

is our problem. We have to humble ourselves. Amen.

Now let's do another verse in Peter. Okay, first Peter

chapter five. Okay, so first Peter chapter five, and I

have the verse, and you feel free to turn to

your Bibles.

Chapter five.

Now I will skip a little bit and I read

part of verse five. It says Peter said, and all

of you dress yourselves in humility as you relate to

one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace

to the humble.

Verse six.

Again, so humble yourselves under the mighty.

Power of God.

And at the right time it's much they copy each

other gun and at the right.

Time, who will leave who up?

He will be Lieve you are in honor same saying

the same thing, written by different authors at different times.

I believe I'm not a super expert, but I know

Peter and James are different people. Okay, So humble yourselves

under the mighty power of God.

Amen, hallelujah.

My prayer is that during this time I pray God,

I want to humble myself, but not pray to God.

No, it's we have to humble ourselves. Amen. Amen. At

the right time, there's the right time, God will lift

us up. Imen.

Not at my time, but at right time God's right time,

he will lift us up in honor. So if you're

coming to God in prayer with our pride, it's almost

God will resist us.

You know that God opposes us.

But in other words, so in other words, we cannot

It's almost like we can't get close to God if

we choose to live in our pride. All right, Okay,

there is no access to God. We have to humble

ourselves when we come before God.

Amen.

So anything that enables us to humble ourselves is a

priceless blessing.

So we shouldn't shut it away.

So one of the things that in the Bible, it

shows us a way to humble ourselves, and that is

by fasting.

Immen. Okay.

So now, so we humble ourselves with fasting, and I

want us to look at So how does the Bible

shows us that fasting is a way to humble ourselves.

First one I want to look at is Psalm thirty five,

and I want all of us to turn to Psalms

right now, and later on if again, I say, if

I have time, we will go into another sum. But

stay in Psalms for a while.

Okay.

So Psalm thirty five, verse thirteen, and this is a

sum written by David. All right, Okay, So let's turn

to Psalm thirty five, verse thirteen. And what did David

say in this sum? Now you can read it when

you go back, and you can read it, but there's

one particular verse that says here in verse thirteen. Yet

when they were ill, David has a context. He's talking

about his uh, he grew for them, his enemies and all.

But what did David say in this line? He said,

I deny myself. This is in a New Living Translation,

by fasting for them, but my prayers written unanswered. So

don't worry about the context of this sum. But what

I wanted to point out is that David said he

denied himself to fasting. All right, Okay, Now in the

New King James is written David. The version says I

humbled myself with fast thing. So to humble yourself means

to deny yourself. Okay, to deny yourself, to humble yourself,

and the true meaning of the myself in the translation

in Hebrew, actually means my soul. Okay.

So David is.

Saying that I'm humbling, I am denying my soul with fasting.

Now let me just explain, and I and Pastor Can

also alluded to this yesterday, I was soul is made

up of three parts, right, and our soul is that

part of us is the arrogant part of us, it's

the self assertive part of us, and it's the egoistic

part of us.

Okay.

So it's made up of our intellect, our emotions, and

our will. So it is expressed in what usually when

we say, this is what I think, I think, the

da da da is how I feel, the da da da,

this is what I want da da. It's all part

and part of our will. So when sorry our soul.

So when David, I'm trying to bring us to the

world of God. When David said I humbled myself, I

denied myself to fasting, I'm denying this sole part of myself,

which is I'm putting in subjection to God what I think,

how I feel, and what I want in subjection to

God's will and what God wants.

Amen. Amen.

So that is what we do. That's the whole meaning

of fast thing. Actually, so when we fast, we are

denying our souls. We are saying to our soul, our mind,

our will, our emotions, say, not what you want, not

what you feel, not what you think, telling yourself. So

it's you and yourself dilogue like your soul, but it's

what God wants.

Imen.

So we are aligning ourselves. That's why that's the power

of fasting. We are denying and we are putting ours

humbling our soul in subjection to God. So when we

humble our soul, essentially say again, we're telling our mind,

our intellect, We're telling our emotions, we're telling our will.

It's not what we think that's the most important, but

what we feel that's most important. Not what we want

that's most important, but what God says in his word, immen,

and what his will that really matters.

And that's what our purpose is.

So if we don't deal with our soul, which is

the intellect, the emotions, and the will, we cannot align ourselves.

To God's will? Do you know that?

And that's why we struggle so much, because your will,

your intellect, your emotions is going to always be against

what God wants on all right. So one way to

deal with it is to humble ourselves to fasting.

Okay.

And I really believe that David was a great man

of God because he understood this. And if you see

in his palms, then he writes right, he has the

fasting part.

You can see it. He fasted. Why he didn't?

He knows how to deny his soul in order to

subject it to God. And he wasn't a perfect man,

do you know that? He was a man just like

you and I. And he made a lot of mistakes too,

and not proud of you know what I mean.

But we can see how he.

Every time he will humble himself before God and align

back again to God. Amen, and come back again to God,

humble himself. Hallelujah. Now, So remember I mentioned earlier, and

I'm going faster. Okay.

It's in the in the in fact, in the Old Testament.

I just want to show us that back in those times,

that it was already a picture of what it means

to humble ourselves.

Okay, okay.

So there is this day called the day of Atonement,

and I believe until today the Jews.

Are still observing it. They call it something all right.

So in the Jewish calendar, it's one of the most

sacred day and they know to them this day they

will not do any work, and they will fast from

one whole day twenty more than twenty four hours. Okay, okay,

So this is the day if we go back to

the Vetica's chapter sixteen in a while, which I will

just quickly show us that to show us what it

means to humble ourselves.

Okay.

So that is the day that God ordained the sacrifice

to be made for the atonement of issue sines.

Okay.

So everything like one, and it's once a year event.

So once year this is his sacred day where the

high priests will go into the Holy Place to make

that sacrifice and that atonement for the sins of the

entire nation. So while the high priest is doing that,

no one is allowed in the Tabernaca and the temple.

But what do the people do? Well, we think for

the high peaces to come out.

They're supposed to fast All right, there are, and I'll

show you in the Bible.

What does it mean? Now? Why I'm showing all this

is because I want us to know.

That when the priests did that, when he performed his duty,

do you know that the duty was performed but every

he did it alone, but it was for the benefit

of the entire nation. So the issue lines will benefit

from that sacrifice made and that atonement made, but they

were required one response. The whole nation have to fast

and not work on that one day. So I believe

there's a pattern for us to see today as we

want to, which I will bring us to the scripture

we want to benefit now today, do we need a

high priest to go and burn sacrifice for you and

to because of that that only your sins is forgiven?

Know why who is the high priest? Jesus? So we

had Jesus as our high priest that came to sacrifice

his own life, not the lamb, not the ram, not

the bull, right his.

Own life on the cross.

So he took that role as the high priest, one

cent for all he did it. So we don't need

to go to this ritual yearly so that our sins

are forgive us, so one cent for all God forgave us. Amen.

But I believe the same principle applies to fully benefit

from this act of atonement that was done by Jesus.

We got to have a response just by the people

of God in those days they needed to have a response. Okay,

So let's turn, which I will show you here in Leveticus,

chapter sixteen. Now I'm going to read from New King

James just for this few verses. So from chapter sixteen,

verse twenty nine to thirty one. Try to stay with me, okay, okay.

So this in verse.

Twenty nine says, this shall be.

A statute for you forever, forever for you in the

seventh month, on the ten day of the month, you

shall just bear in mind some of the words use

afflick your souls, which I will explain, so you do

not work at all. I remember on the day of Atonement,

the israel lights are supposed to afflict their souls. Okay,

they do not work, whether a native of your country

or a stranger who dwells among you verse thirty. For

on that day the priests shall make a perman for

you to cleanse you, that you may be clean from

all your sins before the Lord.

Verse thirty one.

It is a sabbath, a solemn rest for you, and

you shall repeat it a flick your souls. It is

a statute forever. In another translation, it says you must

deny yourselves. Same thing we talk about is the humble yourself.

So you're talking about you must humble yourselves on their days.

So God requires one requirement. Yes, God will forgive your sins.

But God say one thing to the people of Issue.

You must humble yourself. You must deny yourselves, and you

must afflict your souls. Okay, So again what does this mean?

And the people of God at that time they know

what it means. So what it means to deny yourself

and your soul is too fast. So they fast for

morning all the way tonight, and that day they complete,

they rest from their work so that they can dedicate

that day as a.

Sacred day unto the Lord.

So I just want to show us that in the

biblical context fast thing.

Okay, it's always there.

When it talks a wain, we talk about humbling ourselves.

So today, as I mentioned, just say the people of

God to be fully cleansed from all our sins. We

don't have to go through the purification process again. Right,

But if we were to benefit from this perfect section

with fights of Jesus on the cross, I believe you

and I need to respond to me. That's a condition,

and that condition is to what is to humble, to deny,

to afflict our souls, to fasting. And they understood that

fast thing means they extain from food for a certain

part of the time.

Amen of the day. Amen. So we're talking about humble ourselves.

So now I want to look at the humbling part again.

And we know that fasting is a way to humble ourselves.

So what happens when we take the first step to

humble ourselves? Now in Second Chronicles, chapter seven, verse fourteen,

and this one, I think some of us we can

memorize this verse, But where do we remember where it

came from?

Is another thing. So it says in verse fourteen.

Then if my people who are called by my name

will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and

turn from their wicked ways, don't you think that sounds

like what we want to do right now? Until your

one day prayer and fast, that's all we want to do.

Isn't it God. We want to seek you, we want

to pray, we want to humble ourselves to fast thing.

You want to turn from our wicked ways. But what

did God say? God?

Oh again, he never stopped their full stop. What did

he say? I will hear from.

Heaven, Amen, and I will forgive their sins and I

will restore their land.

This is a famous verse we can all memorize. Now.

This came from a time when King Solomon finished building

the Temple of God. All right, he built away, so

you read the chapters before. He built a beautiful temple,

and that was like one of the prime time in Israel. Right,

they will have at peace and the beautiful temple all built.

And he dedicated the temple to God. And Solomon prayed

a long but very powerful prayer. And after that God

spoke to Solomon in the night. All right, And this

is one of the things that God to Solomon. All right, Okay,

So in chapter seven God spoke to Solomon, and after

Solomon prayed, so Holomon declined a dedication and pray in

front of the entire assembly of Israel.

So church, ten am church, look at the verse again.

My question to myself and to all of us this morning,

or I believe God is also asking us.

Do we want the Lord to hear from heaven? So?

Do we want our prayers answered?

Church?

Amen? Do we want to see our love one safe, held,

set free? Amen?

Do we want our sins forgiven, wiped out, covered eras

not countered and.

Ify time I'll go to that. Do we want to

see our land healed and restore?

Amen? Now, if you look at your U turn card

for the twenty one days, now, remember in homes we

also say what to avoid avoid just praying for yourself,

isn't it?

I like that?

Okay, Sometimes you're so into ourselves and my family and

me and my family, right, it's good to pray for

their other things. So when you follow the uturn card,

you kind of remember to pray their other needs and

other plants, right, other, and pray for our nation and all.

But when we pray, do we want to see our

land healed and restore? Amen?

Take a moment right now, look at the verse again,

and actually you can leave it on that slight second

chronicle seven fourteen. Then if my people who are called

by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek

my face, and turn from their wicked ways. I will

hear from heaven. I will forgive their sins. I will

restore their land. It's almost like everything that you ever

need is promise in diversity.

Amen, So take a moment and think about it.

Okay. The beginning of this verse, who again is God

speaking to if my people? So the question here is

not whether God hears from heaven? So it's not said, God,

will you hear me from heaven?

God? Will you forgive my sin?

God?

Will you heal my land? Lord? Will you bless them? Am? Lord?

Will you bless a am?

God?

Will you bring? Or more people? Will you? Can we?

Lord? You know?

Can we see more? People?

Say?

I don't think that's the God's problem?

Might not? The question here is not whether God will.

God already said he will. It's whether the God's people

is doing what you're supposed to do.

And in God's people in the house, first of all,

we want to be.

God's people right now and God's And God said, if

my people so church, what is the first step? And

what did God say, if my people will? He didn't

say very difficult things are like you'll go, ye appreciate,

go thro far far away, you know the kind of

thing or all It says in this verse, if my

people will humble themselves, joy, I'm talking to myself. God's

talking to me. If you will humble yourself, Amen, ex church,

If we will humble ourselves, ten am, if we will

humble ourselves.

And I really believe that is the first step. Amen.

Now we can go into a lot of other steps,

but just today, I really believe God is bringing us

back again to focus on the first step. If my people, Amen,

don't worry about God's part, because I think you can

see from Old Testament to New Testament, God never's full

stop halfway one.

He will always promise us what he promised.

And it's being echoed by different writers of the Bible,

the books of the Bible again and again like a

we are deaf, da, God will reward you, get you

we are deaf, right, It's like that because we are

dill and here right, not correct. So we're not to

worry about God's part. But let's focus on our part.

Amen. Amen.

Now, So first thing is a way to humble ourselves,

and I believe that it is the first step.

But do you know that?

Do you know that?

Fast? First?

Okay, Now, sorry, are dropping out the bomb on us?

Okay?

Do you know that I drop myself out? Do you

know that fast thing itself doesn't mean that we're humble?

So or in other words, it doesn't necessarily make us humble.

So who has to humble ourselves again? We have to

humble ourselves again? Now fast thing is away, but doesn't

mean fast thing will make us humble automatically. All right, okay?

Why why do I say that?

Now? Do you know the Pharisees fast faster Pharisees to

exist today?

Don't know I've got.

Pharisees today, But Pharaises in Jesus's time they faster, correct,

And that's why Jesus always say, don't be like them.

They fast, and then they show, they make a big

show out of it, because in itself it doesn't mean

we're humble. We humble ourselves as so right, So fast

thing does not earn a bad earn us a wow,

a badge like wow. Then we carry around and then

I'm fasting, I'm humbled wrongly, I'm wrong, okay, okay, but

it is a way for us to humble, to deny ourselves,

to deny our soul. Remember the intellect the emotions.

Our will and.

Put it in subjection to the will of God is

a tool that we use, right, but we still got

to do it ourselves.

The humbling part. We still have to do it ourselves.

Now.

I want to go into something a bit more practical then.

So one practical way, I believe, a way that we

can start to humble ourselves. And I believe because I

do this, and I don't know, well, there may be

I'm sure there are other ways in our journey with

the Lord. But one simple way I think is to

confess our sins to the Lord. Amen. Yeah, And this

one I also praise God, and I believe it's the

word for us today because I can also talk about

this verse.

Yesterday I pray first John one nine and what these says?

John said?

But if we confess our sins to who to God?

He is faithful and.

He's just to forgive us our sins and two consers

from all. Can you see that every time you take

one stepma, Goda backs you up with his promise.

It's like a.

Certain for sure, don't worry, I will do my part

all right if but there's always a conditioner. God gives

us a choice today right, if we confess our sins

to him, he's faithful, he's just to forgive us our

sins and the classes.

Now, I wonder from when I.

Was young until today, well today lesser wonder, but still wonder.

Why God chose this, Why John chose this word?

Just?

I would say he is faithful.

And merciful to forgive our sins. But John chose just

the mind something for you to ask God. Okay, I'll

ask God.

You ask God? Okay, right know he thought about that.

But but but it means that even.

He is a just God, he will forgive you. Hallelujah, hallelujah.

A man only just God can be merciful in the

first place. Correct, So if we confess our sins to him,

he's faithful and just, and he will forgive us, and

he will she should cleanse us from all unrighteouses. Now,

But why did I say that? One of the simple

way is in confessing our sins to God? Because don't

you think that it's hard to be proud when you

are confessing what you are.

But you're done wrong. So if you come.

Before God and you it's a very automatic thing when

you want to confess your sin you're already humbling yourself.

I don't know how else to confess my wrong and

and you say, say a husband and wife say sorry

to each other. Okay, I'm just trying to imagine now,

you know, dear, I know I'm sorry yesterday.

You know I said this, I did this. It wasn't

very nice.

I was impatient, I was whatever. You already are humbling

yourself when you even confess.

And ask forgiveness.

Isn't it same unless you're saying that, yeah, I'm sorry,

not they're not sorryn in the first way you try pasala,

don't want to try pass all there another round wall. Okay,

but that's why I say that it is and uh,

it is a very simple way to humble ourselves now

and I'm going to end soon. I'm joined to a close, Okay.

I don't want to take this too long. But before

we close, I think a little bit of time. Let's

turn your insums right some thirty two? So we were

at some thirty five, just now, just a few sums

before Psalms thirty two again, a sum by King David,

and I and I take I take heart. Whenever I

feel discouraged, I feel I did oh I made a

mess again. I did a boo boo. I'll go back

to this sum as well, all right, besides Psalm fifty one, okay,

so Pal thirty two, I'm gonna read only the first

five verses. Come, let's read now, So Kingdom, we started with, Oh,

what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven? I know

whether you can echo him. I echo him whose sin

is put out outside. But I want to show us

something here again. When it comes to when we confess

unto the Lord, what does it do to us?

Imen? Verse two?

Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has

cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty? Wow?

Verse three.

When I refuse to confess my sin, my body wasted

away and I grown all day long. I'm not sure

whether you have experienced this before, day and night. Your

hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated

like water in the summer heat. INTERVIEWE.

Finally I confess all all.

My sins to you, and I stopped trying to hide

my guilt. I said to myself, I will confess my

rebellion to the Lord.

And what happened? You forgave me and my guilt is gone. Amen.

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